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Fiery Debates Held in States with Critical Senate Races; Ukraine Rocked by Russian Drone Strikes; Prosecutors Want Bannon Jailed for Contempt of Congress; New Strikes Target Kyiv, Other Cities Across Ukraine; EU Sanctions Iran's Morality Police, Information Minister. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired October 18, 2022 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those extremists that he runs around with, they just want to stoke this racial violence. We're tired of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're so desperate not to have a real job, you'll slander me and slander my family. it's days graceful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What impact does it have on the psyche of the people of Kyiv that there are kamikaze drones now attacking your capital.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone is so angry. Everyone wanted to defend their families, want to defend hometown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was on a mission to kill. He was out hunting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The suspect's reign of terror in our community has come to an end.
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ANNOUNCER: Live from London. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster.
FOSTER: It is Tuesday, October the 18th 9 a.m. here in London, 4 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast. We're now just three weeks away from the critical midterms elections in the U.S. which will determine who controls Congress, as well as key leadership positions in states around the country. Early voting is now underway in states like Georgia where there's a great deal of focus on the races for U.S. Senate and governor.
Nationwide a new CNN Poll of Polls finds and even divide on a generic ballot with both Republican and Democratic nominees holding 46 percent support amongst voters. Meanwhile, debates were held in two states with high-stakes of U.S.
Senate races that could impact the balance of power. In the swing state of Ohio, the discourse between Democrat Tim Ryan and Trump- backed Republican J.D. Vance got pretty nasty. They blasted one another over views of abortion to inflation. And each try to associate their opponents have divisive party leaders.
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J.D. VANCE, OHIO REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR U.S. SENATE: Now I really wish somebody had selected to his party on this vote because it might have made the inflation crisis, we've been seeing over the last few months a lot better if he hadn't done what he always does which is vote with Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden hundred percent of the time.
REP. TIM RYAN (D-OH): I ran against Nancy Pelosi, J.D., for leadership. And you have to have the courage to take on your own leaders. These leaders in D.C., they will eat you up like a chew toy, right. I mean, you were calling Trump America's Hitler, then you kissed his ass.
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FOSTER: And in Utah independent Evan McMullin took on Republican incumbent Mike Lee in their only debate for U.S. Senate. That's also been getting pretty heated especially when they squabbled over what Lee did or did not do during the January 6 insurrection over the U.S. Capitol.
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EVAN MCMULLIN, UTAH DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE: You were there to stand up for our Constitution but when the barbarians were at the gate, you were happy to let them in.
SEN. MIKE LEE (R-UT): I think I disagree with everything my opponent just said including the words "but" and "in the." It wasn't information free, truth free statement that something of a record.
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FOSTER: And in Georgia it was a rematch of the fiercely contested 2018 governor's race. Republican incumbent Brian Kemp faced off against Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams over reproductive health care, crime and punishment and voting rights. Kemp tried to link Abrams to President Joe Biden who's unpopular in Georgia. And Abrams accused Kemp of trying to make it more difficult for people to vote. She's been trailing in recent polls.
Now the gubernatorial race between Kemp and Abrams is hotly contested of course. But it's Georgia's Senate race could have national ramifications. The matchup between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker is full of controversy. CNN's Eva McKend has the latest from Atlanta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DEBATE MODERATOR: It is time to get underway.
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER (voice-over): Georgia Republican Herschel Walker defending his move during Friday's Senate debate to pull out an honorary sheriff's badge from his hometown sheriff's department.
HERSCHEL WALKER (D), GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE: This is from my hometown, this is from Johnson County, from the sheriff of Johnson County, which is a legit badge.
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Everyone could make fun but this badge gives me the right -- let me finish. If anything happened in this county, I have the right to work with the police getting things done.
MCKEND (voice-over): The GOP nominee showed off the badge during a discussion over support for police, as he faced off with Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock.
DEBATE MODERATOR: That is not allowed, sir. I ask you to put that prop away.
WALKER: Well, it's not a prop. This is real.
MCKEND (voice-over): A CNN fact check found Walker has never had a job in law enforcement. The surprising moment leading Warnock today to suggest the former NFL star not a serious candidate.
SEN. RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-GA): The people of Georgia deserve a serious person to represent them at serious times.
I guess he expects the people of Georgia now to hallucinate and imagine that he is also a United States senator. He's clearly not ready.
MCKEND (voice-over): Walker also facing fresh questions about reports he paid for a former girlfriend's abortion more than a decade ago. He's now acknowledging sending a $700 check to the woman but still denied it was for the procedure.
WALKER: This is still a lie because she's the mother of my child. So, you're going to see a check of somebody giving a check. So, you know what I'm saying. It's a lie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know what this $700 check is for?
WALKER: I have no idea what that is for.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that your signature on the check?
WALKER: Let me see. It could be. And it doesn't matter whether it's my signature not.
MCKEND (voice-over): As voters remain concerned with the state of the U.S. economy and President Joe Biden's handling of the issue, Warnock deflecting questions about whether he would support Biden if he runs again in 2024.
WARNOCK: Part of the problem with our politics right now is that it is all about the politicians. And so, I'm not going to do what the pundits want me to do. I'm going to do what the people of Georgia hired me to do.
MCKEND (voice-over): In the battle for control of the House, a CNN Poll of Polls finds voters are evenly divided when it comes to which party's candidate they would support in their own district. With 46 percent saying they would back the Democratic candidate and 46 percent saying they would vote for the Republican
MCKEND: Important to keep in mind, Georgia voters not only concerned about these candidates and various personalities, but also top of mind are many of these core issues. Whether it be gun violence or the future of reproductive care in this state.
Eva McKend, CNN, Atlanta.
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FOSTER: Like many Democrats, President Biden wants to keep abortion rights front and center in the midterms especially after the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe versus Wade. He's expected to zero in on that issue when he speaks at the Democratic National Convention committee event later in Washington later today.
Now to the latest on the Oath Keepers trial though. Prosecutors claim the far right group spent tens of thousands of dollars to build up their arsenal ahead of the January 6th Capitol attack. Five members are on trial on seditious conspiracy charges. Including the group's leader, Stewart Rhodes. They've all pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say nearly $200,000 in withdrawals were made from a bank account connected to the organization in January 2021. They also presented receipts of firearm purchases and text messages that showed members were allegedly stockpiling weapons.
Federal prosecutors in another January 6th related case wants Steve Bannon to face prison time for his contempt of Congress conviction. Bannon, a former top adviser to Donald Trump was found guilty in July. His sentencing is set for Friday. CNN's Sara Murray reports from Washington.
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SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For defying a subpoena from the House January 6th committee --
STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP ADVISER: This is going to be the misdemeanor from hell.
MURRAY (voice-over): Trump ally Steve Bannon deserves the maximum penalty at Friday's sentencing, prosecutors say, asking the judge to sentence Bannon to six months behind bars and $200,000 in fines after he was convicted of contempt of Congress.
REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): Steve Bannon is one of a handful of people who just blew us off and he's been convicted for contempt of Congress.
MURRAY (voice-over): Prosecutors argue in their court filing that the rioters who overran the Capitol on January 6th did not just attack a building, they assaulted the rule of law. By flouting the select committee's subpoena and its authority, the defendant exacerbated that assault.
BANNON: Number one, I didn't want to have a meeting longer than five minutes.
MURRAY (voice-over): Bannon's team insists the right-wing media fire brand should only get probation and any sentence should be postponed pending his appeal of his conviction.
All of this as the January 6 committee plans to formally serve former President Trump with a subpoena for documents and testimony this week.
REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion.
MURRAY (voice-over): Saying they hope he'll comply.
REP. BENNIE THOMPSON (D-MS): If he wants to clear the record. He will have an opportunity to do it.
MURRAY (voice-over): Despite Trump's clear disdain for the committee.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These are hacks and thugs.
MURRAY (voice-over): In the meantime, the panel is pressing ahead after last week's hearing.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): The day before the joint session on January 5th, Secret Service was aware of increased chatter focused on Vice President Pence.
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MURRAY (voice-over): And seeking new information from the U.S. Secret Service.
REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): They sent the vice president up to the Capitol with, you know, a fairly small group of people to protect him into what was should have obviously been foreseen as a potentially very dangerous situation.
MURRAY (voice-over): New documents turned over to the committee and obtained by CNN showed the Secret Service and its law enforcement partners knew about violent rhetoric and threats --
CROWD CHANTING: Hand Mike Pence! Hand Mike Pence! Hand Mike Pence! MURRAY (voice-over): -- into lawmakers on social media before the U.S. Capitol attack. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren saying they will ask former Secret Service Assistant Director Tony Ornato, head of Trump's Secret Service detail Robert Engel, and others to testify again.
LOFGREN: We are in a position in the very near future to call the witnesses from the Secret Service back in for a few additional questions.
MURRAY: Now Ornato has already met with the committee on a couple previous occasions. But it's clear they still have more questions for him. And while they have a lot of work that they still want to do with this committee, they don't have a lot of time to do it. Their mandate expires at the end of this Congressional term.
Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
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FOSTER: Trump Organization charged the Secret Service exorbitant rates to protect the former president and his family at properties that they owned. According to a U.S. Congressional committee, the agency is estimated to have spent more than $1.4 million over a period of about four years. And Trump has continued to charge his protective detail for staying at his properties since he left the White House.
The U.S. Defense Department is working to speed up the delivery of two advanced surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine as Russia continues to unleash strikes across the country and in the capital. Officials say several energy facilities have been hit by strikes including in Kyiv. To the east the mayor of Kharkiv reports a series of explosions and to the south the mayor of Mykolaiv says a residential building was destroyed and one man killed after a night of shelling.
This comes after Russia launched a wave of deadly kamikaze drone strikes in Ukrainian cities far from the front lines. Ukraine says dozens of drones were shot down but several hit the capital, including at least four people killed.
The attacks appear to be part of a wider assault that took aim at critical infrastructure and civilian targets across the country. Ukraine's president says even though his forces are fighting back, more international help is needed.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): In just 12 hours from 9 p.m. Sunday, 37 Iranian Shaheds and several cruise missiles were destroyed. The world can and must stop this terror. When we talk about Ukraine's need for air and missile defense, we are talking about real lives that are being taken by terrorists.
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FOSTER: At least 13 people are dead including 3 children after a Russian fighter jet crashed into a 9 story residential building in the southwestern city of Yeysk on Monday. Citing Russia's defense ministry, state media reported the jet was doing a training exercise when one of the engines caught fire during takeoff and the pilots ejected safely. The Kremlin says President Putin has instructed authorities to provide assistance to the victims. Russian investigators have opened a criminal case into the crash.
CNN's Nic Robertson is standing by for the very latest in Kyiv. Salma Abdelaziz is tracking developments from here in London. Nic, first of all, this latest wave of attacks on Ukraine, does it show a change in strategy?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Russia seems to be embarking on a war of attrition of Ukraine's electrical generating capacity. This is something that is clearly intended to weaken the resolve of the Ukrainian government and people, which it is not. It is also intended to make the winter here much harsher. But there is a reality.
Two hours ago, we were broadcasting, there was a strike on Kyiv, it hit a power plant and our broadcast went down because there was a ripple effect through the energy supply networks in the city. And it's likely because this is attritional by Russia, small stations day by day by day in different cities fear, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr to the west of here as well, Dnipro to the south, that this will gradually eat into the resilience of the electricity network and the amount of electricity that can be supplied around the country and this is the strategy.
It does seem that Russia is embarking on at the moment.
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And of course, when electricity goes out as we've heard from different city officials in Ukraine today, that residence, you know, 100 miles east of here, for example, are without electricity and water because the electricity is used to pump the water around the city. So, this is where the direction Russia is going in because it's losing territory on the actual battlefield.
FOSTER: And Salma, what do you know about this Russian plane landing in Russian territory and many people dead as a result.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Devastating crash, three children are among the victims and quite literally families in Russia now having the reality of this conflict, of this war crashing into them.
What we know so far is that President Putin had to act quickly with this. He released a statement within hours instructing authorities to provide all of the assistance required for those victims. Local officials quickly launched an investigation to try to find out what caused the crash.
But what we know so far is this supersonic fighter bomber jet was taking off from this military training site, part of a training exercise. As it was taking off, one of the engines caught fire forcing the pilots to eject themselves from that jet. The jet crashing into a residential area, residential quarters in the courtyard of that area and setting off an explosion that spread across 2,000 square meters. I know we have that social media video that shows that aftermath, absolutely devastating. Emergency services, of course, rushing to the scene and continuing to provide that support. Dozens evacuated, others killed, others hospitalized.
And beyond the tragic loss of life, I think this does reveal some things about these upstairs now because the real struggles that the Russian military is facing. First of all, losing a fighter jet any time like this, that is a major loss of value at a time when Russia's arsenal is being depleted by the war. And then secondly, we know from Western intelligence that tens of thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed in the course of this conflict. That means that the Kremlin is relying evermore on less trained, less capable, less experienced fighter pilots.
FOSTER: OK, Salma thank you, also Nic in Kyiv.
Now ahead on CNN, as nationwide protests against Iran's authoritarian regime keeps growing, so do the list of sanctions against Tehran.
Also ahead, how radioactive material dating back to World War II could be contaminating an elementary school in the U.S.
Plus, the latest on freezing temperatures sweeping across the Eastern United States. We'll have a live forecast for you.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we'll break down exactly how things will play out across portions of the U.S. Big time cold air in store over the coming several days. The details coming up in a few minutes.
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FOSTER: Drought conditions in the U.S. have caused water levels in the Mississippi River to fall drastically. Near Memphis, Tennessee the river hit a record low falling nearly 11 feet. That's more than three meters lower than its usual level.
The he is affecting the West Coast as well. Multiple days of record high temperatures stoked this wildfire in Washington. Firefighting crews were able to attack the blaze on Monday thanks to favorable weather. They're hoping it'll last into the week as well.
An cold snap, meanwhile, could lend some help with some parts of the U.S. set to get their first significant snow of the autumn season. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us with those extremes in weather.
JAVAHERI: Yes, Max, you know, we were about 64 days away officially from winter officially getting underway. But getting an early hint of it here across portions of the eastern U.S. Asheville, North Carolina, some of the images of folks bundling up in advance of a significant cold spell. And I counted parts of at least 21 states that are dealing with the excessively cold temperatures. Whereas cold as 18 degrees here into the overnight hours and early morning hours in the Central portion of the U.S. and we're talking upwards of 70 million Americans dealing with this.
And yes, in the northern reaches of the U.S., the UP of Michigan there where up to a foot of snow possible with the cold air that's in place. So, winter weather alerts have been prompted across that region. You can kind of see the radar here highlighting some of the snow showers that are already coming down across this landscape.
But the big story's not the amount of snow that's going to accumulate. That's going to be limited generally speaking. But the amount of people that are going to be dealing with the cold temps. In fact, upwards of 95 record temps possible in the cold end of things here from Tuesday going into Thursday.
But you'll notice the trend here over the next several days. Going to begin to gradually warm up again. The average this time of year for example in Atlanta, 74. It'll be about 20 degrees cooler on Tuesday afternoon, but every single day check on about say 3 to 6 degrees and by this weekend back up into the middle and upper 70s.
But in fact, looking ahead into next week, we do have the Eastern U.S. expected to remain well above average. So, this false fall that we're feeling is going to be short lived.
But across the Western U.S., Max, noted that it's been excessively warm. Of course, you see the wildfire conditions on the border of Washington and Oregon. In fact, the vast majority of the 97 large active fires across parts of nine states are across parts of the Northwest. Where air quality alerts have been prompted in this region as a result of the very dry conditions and also the very warm weather that's been in place.
But forecast guidance here from Friday into Saturday and even into Sunday brings with it some wet weather and even some high elevation snow showers there as well. So, improving fire conditions there we expect by this weekend, Max.
And high temperatures ranging from the middle 80s there around the Western U.S. where the 40s are back in the forecast across parts of Chicago and Atlanta. Low to middle 50s for the afternoon highs. Again, well below average for this time of year.
FOSTER: Interesting, Pedram. Thank you very much, indeed.
Hundreds of students at an elementary school in Missouri are being exposed to unacceptable levels of radiation dating back to World War II. that's according to an independent report from the Boston Chemical Data Corporation which found that the school near St. Louis is being contaminated by radioactive water from a lab for the Manhattan Project that was upstream in the 1940s. The Manhattan Project led to the development of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan effectively ending World War II. a school board meeting to discuss the radiation issue will take place later today.
[04:25:00] Iran is being slapped with more sanctions amid a brutal crackdown against antigovernment protests. The EU is freezing the assets of 11 people and 4 entities, including Iran's morality police and information minister for their role in the crackdown.
Nationwide demonstrations erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody last month. And the human rights group says scores of people have been killed since the protests began. The EU says it will always act against serious human rights allegations and violations.
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JOSEP BORRELL, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: I want to use this opportunity to call on the Iranian government to immediately end the violence, to release those detained and to allow normal internet services and flow of information.
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FOSTER: The Iranian foreign minister says the sanctions are based on widespread disinformation. CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now. How damaging are these sanctions. They don't seem as though they'll have much impact.
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well look, the Iranian regime has already responded to sanctions that we've seen put in place by the U.S. government, by the U.K. government, saying that they will not be impacted by these sanctions. We already heard from the foreign ministry spokesperson saying over the weekend that they remain unphased by any attempts of intervention by foreign politicians.
Look, the EU has been considering these sanctions for some time now. And as you laid out there, it will be impacting 11 Iranian officials as well as 4 Iranian entities. We're talking about the morality police, which has been the focus of much of these protests. They were charged, of course, by many of these protesters with the death of Mahsa Amini. -- well, that hasn't been confirmed. She died in their custody. As well as Iran's law enforcement forces who have been charged with that brutal crackdown that we've seen of the last month in Iran.
Amongst them, as you mentioned, Iran's minister for information and communication technology. Because of course we have seen an internet blackout in pockets of the country as well, in an attempt to stop the spread of information and video coming out of Iran. These are sanctions put in place by the European Union in addition to sanctions already present in place by, of course, the European officials as well as U.S. officials.
And we heard a response from Iran's foreign minister just yesterday tweeting, down a well-worn path of ineffective sanctions. It is an unconstructive act out of miscalculation, based on widespread disinformation. Riots and vandalism are not tolerated anywhere. Iran is no exception. Now course, the Iranian regime has been effectively paint these protests and these demonstrations as riots. They blame the unrest on foreign actors, including the U.S. and Israel in the past -- according to Iran supreme leader. But what we have seen is that these demonstrations are gaining momentum. They were sparked, of course, in the actions and death of Mahsa Amini, driven by women and young girls protesting against the regime's severe restrictions on women's rights.
But these have really gained momentum and morphed into a much wider call for reform in Iran. And some now even calling for regime change. And human rights groups condemning the crackdown. Just yesterday we saw a letter signed by 40 human rights organizations, sent by Human Rights Watch, calling for the U.N. Human Rights Council to hold an urgent session to discuss a potential mechanism to investigate this brutal crackdown but also to hold Iranian regime to account.
FOSTER: OK, Nada, thank you.
A formal retreat. Britain's new finance minister ditches most of the Prime Minister's economic plan. The markets are pretty thrilled about it though.
And Americans facing crushing student loan debts about to get some forgiveness but it's not without controversy.
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