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Toxic Wastewater From OH Train Wreck Being Moved To Texas; Zelenskyy Defiant As War Enters Second Year; Biden Dismisses China's Proposed Peace Plan; DOJ Looks Into Delay In Finding Classified Docs At Mar-A-Lago; Biden: Our Response Fundamentally Different From Trump; Jared Kushner And Ivanka Trump Subpoenaed In 1/6 Probe; Study: Insomnia May Be Linked To Higher Risk Of Heart Attack; MLB Spring Training Begins, Debuting Several New Rule Changes. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired February 25, 2023 - 13:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. And we begin this hour with new developments in the catastrophic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio and growing concerns about where toxic material will be disposed. Right now, about two million gallons of toxic water are expected to be disposed of in Harris County, Texas, according to officials there.

And in Michigan officials say the EPA has now paused shipments of contaminated soil. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had previously said around six truckloads of soil were headed to Michigan. But officials in both of those states say they never received a warning about those shipments. Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell among them saying, I'm quoting now, "We were not given a heads up on this reported action. Our priority is to always keep the people we represent safe."

With us now is Congresswoman Dingell. Good to see you. First, you know, how did you find out about these reported shipments to your state and what can you do?

REP. DEBBIE DINGELL (D-MI) (via Skype): Well, Fredricka, we made a lot of noise. It began on the grapevine late afternoon yesterday that we have two different sites in my district. One is an injection well which is accepting liquids and the other is a ground contamination site in Belleville Township. I very quickly made some calls. The Governor was not aware of this either. We spoke to each other there where it took place.

But we did discover that the governor of Ohio had posted it on his Web site that they were headed here. I'd called everybody. I had called EPA, I called the O.T., I called Republic which is U.S. ecology which controls the sites. I called Norfolk Southern and demanded answers. We very quickly realized that nobody has really been given a heads up that it was coming here. There are issues related to the injection well facility that thought it was five trucks of the liquid that were headed for the injection well.

Soil had also been headed for the BMV or the Belleville Van Buren site as well. EPA told us last night that they were suspending and I doubt very much that any more of the liquid will go to the infection well in Romulus.

WHITFIELD: So, as a member of Congress, are you customarily informed about the types of contaminants that go to either one of the two hazardous waste sites that you just cited or in your district?

DINGELL: So, unfortunately, I do or for -- I mean, here's a fact of my life. One of the sites have been in my district over the years. This Romulus injection well site, I can remember being very loud, townhall meetings about it 20 years ago. So, since I got elected, I had a relationship with U.S. ecology that when they were transporting new material, because community would be concerned that they normally would give us a heads up.

When I learned about this yesterday, the first call that I got, I immediately called the governor's office, assuming that they would know about it. I always coordinate with them. And what quickly became evident is that none of -- none of the elected officials, none of the local officials knew that this material was on its way. Quite frankly, there are contracts with each of these sites. And I think some people thought this was just normal business.

But there's nothing that's normal about this toxic site in Ohio, and I think many people have now acknowledged that should have been far more sensitivity. And we've got a responsibility to make sure that the communities here that are giving them material are safe, and that we reassuring them that they're not going to be hurt --

(CROSSTALK)

QUEST: So, I guess it's understandable that everyone is concerned, right? Because it's still -- there's still much so much that is unknown about these contaminants in East Palestine. But at the same time, if these are privately-owned companies in your district, right? Who customarily handle contaminants, if this is not the proper place for these materials to go, then where should they go?

I mean, you're not alleging that this is, you know, illegal and wrong. It's just -- it sounds like it's uncomfortable to hear that this material is going there. So where should it?

DINGELL: Well, actually, there to -- we're not -- none of us wants to toxic waste in our backyard.

WHITFIELD: Right.

DINGELL: I mean, these two sites that have been approved, and I think we're going to see a national discussion again about where and how you dispose of toxic waste. These two sites happen to be in communities with populations around them. And quite frankly, there are communities that aren't as well off as some other suburban areas until you get into an environmental justice subject. I think we do have to have a real conversation about where to dispose of this.

[13:05:00]

DINGELL: But it also turns out that the injection well site, two different kinds of sites here. EPA has taken over this site. It was (INAUDIBLE) and this gets into really technical stuff. I've had too many chemical spills in my district. I know more than I ever should about protecting communities. It is not a surface, super (INAUDIBLE) site. There's not a danger to that community which I'm told and I'm going to make sure that it is the case which is one of the reasons that delivery is going to be suspended to the injection well site.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I mean, the concerns are palpable. I think everybody understands.

DINGELL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Right. What the feelings are here. And we haven't received confirmation from the EPA that -- oh, OK. Now I'm hearing from my producer. We now have confirmation at the EPA has ordered this transport to stop. So, what do you believe is -- should happen next can happen next?

DINGELL: So, I've -- look, I've had a very thoughtful conversation with the U.K. administrator this morning. I've probably talked to EPA 10 times yesterday afternoon and evening. We have to have thoughtful conversations. We need facts, we need information. We need to make sure that we keep treating our communities in a correct way. We shouldn't -- certain community shouldn't be the ones that are benefiting.

I mean, certainly the impact of benefiting is not the right word you would ever say for these sites. But we also have to make sure that they're safe, that there's no danger to the inhabitants in the surrounding communities. And I think that what Ohio was triggering is another national conversation about how you dispose of hazardous waste, keeping people safe, and making sure that there aren't certain populations that are more impacted because they can least afford to live in a wealthier area. So, environmental justice and safety needs to be part of these discussions.

WHITFIELD: Yes. So, I wonder -- I mean, because those are important questions and very valid concerns. And it's -- but it almost sounds like getting the answer to what do you do with these wastes -- I mean, right away? I mean, this just happened three weeks ago. So, now, what do you do with this material? So, another community is not directly impacted. How soon can you get those kinds of answers?

DINGELL: Well, I think you're going to see when we return to Congress next week, that we're going to be having those discussions. I think it is important to note that these two sides -- well, that the Belleville site, the Van Buren site, they're called both names, has been certified by the state and EPA that it is stored safely, that it is not escaping. It's very important that the federal and state government be inspecting these sites on a regular basis.

We do have to dispose of them at a safe site right now. But -- so, we need to find the immediate issue for where this is going to be stored safely and have the longer conversation. And I'm not sure that urban or very populated suburban areas are the right place for these kinds of storage facilities. WHITFIELD: President Biden is defending his administration's response to the train derailment. What's your reaction?

DINGELL: Look, by the way, this Van Buren site was also the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment last week. It's a lack of political sensitivity. Also, transporting this in the same site that had to do around last week just for the record. But I, you know, which he (INAUDIBLE) taken over this site earlier, quite frankly. I have talked to them. They've been very responsive. I'm working with them very closely on the site.

I unfortunately have had more than 10 chemical spills or plumes that I've been dealing with in like the last 18 months. So, I've gotten to know EPA very well. We do need people that know what they're doing, managing these sites. These are very important critical issues. We then took over this site the last week and I think you are seeing more experienced (INAUDIBLE) to the issue.

WHITFIELD: All right. Huge concerns. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, so glad you could be with us. Thanks so much.

DINGELL: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, the U.S. and its Western allies are reaffirming commitment to support Ukraine. A year after Russian tanks rolled across the border, the U.S. along with the E.U. have leveled another round of sanctions on Russia. The U.S. is also delivering another $2 billion of military support to Ukraine. Speaking at the United Nations Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Western support for Ukraine must be unwavering.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: Nations around the world continue to stand with Ukraine because we all recognize that if we abandon Ukraine, we abandon the U.N. charter itself.

[13:10:08]

And the principles and rules the that make all countries safer and more secure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: In parts of Ukraine, there has been no letup in the fighting. A Russian military spokesman said up to 60 Ukrainian soldiers were killed today in fighting on the Eastern Front Lines.

CNN's Melissa Bell is in Kyiv. Priscilla Alvarez is at the White House. Melissa to you first. Are there any signs of the major Russian offensive? Many have been predicting?

MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly not across the country. And that's what Ukrainian officials had been warning about as we headed into this anniversary yesterday, Fredricka. Instead, what has happened is a considerable intensification of Russia -- Russian efforts along that at Eastern Front at several points. We're hearing both from Ukrainian authorities but also from Russian state media about heavy exchanges of fires at different points along the front line.

Now, what we've been hearing in the last few moments is more about what's been happening about around Bakhmut. That town that's been at the center of so much of the fighting over the course of the last few weeks, as Russian forces, not just regular troops, but also Wagner mercenaries made concerted efforts, Fredricka, to try and encircle the town as (INAUDIBLE) is important symbolically, of course.

But strategically. The aim believe Ukrainians of Russian forces at this stage is ready to take the whole of the Donbas. Taking Bakhmut would be an important game for them as they attempted to do that. They have the whole of Luhansk, they have a good part of Donetsk. Ukrainians believe it is the whole of it that they're trying to take. Bakhmut would be key to their achieving that.

What we've been hearing the last few moments is from Yevgeniy Prigozhin, who is the head of the Wagner Mercenary Group saying that at the village to the north (INAUDIBLE) of Bakhmut has now fallen. We'd heard from him yesterday that a town to the -- northwest of the town had fallen -- a village to the town -- when northwest of the town has fallen. And so, Russian forces, according to the head of Wagner appear to be making their way around the town in their aim of encircling it.

And we've also been hearing in the last few moments from a Ukrainian military commander about the fight in Bakhmut and how just desperately they're trying to hold it and how desperate that fight is. The military commander explaining that they're running out of -- they're lacking long-range artillery, tanks, armored vehicles, airplanes, and it is very difficult for their infantry right now along that front line.

And of course, that is what is behind so much of the calls that you heard yesterday from President Zelenskyy for more weaponry and specifically for the aircraft. Those Ukrainian forces under severe pressure as that concerted push along that Eastern Front has intensified on the Russian side, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Melissa, thanks so much. And Priscilla, the aid package announced by the White House yesterday. Well, it didn't include supplying fighter jets. Something that President Zelenskyy has been asking for for a very long time. What is the timeline of that ever potentially happening?

ALVAREZ: Well, President Biden putting it quite simply that he's rolling it out for now that being sending those advanced American fighter jets to Ukraine as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has asked for it. Take a listen to what President Biden had to say on this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MUIR, ABC ANCHOR: President Zelenskyy continues to say what he really needs are F-16s. Will you send F-16s? JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Look, we're sending him what our seasoned military thinks he needs now. He needs tanks, he needs artillery, he needs air defense, including another HIMARS. There are things he needs now.

MUIR: You don't think he needs F-16s now?

BIDEN: No, he doesn't need F-16s now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, this is of course, a controversial ask because of concerns that it could escalate the conflict. Our own Jeremy Diamond asked President Biden yesterday whether this had come up in his conversations with Zelenskyy this week. And Biden said it was "A private discussion." But that urgency in that public campaigning continues with Zelenskyy even going on to ask a group of Republican lawmakers giving them a list of weaponry that he's looking for including those F-16s.

But the United States that President Biden says is going to continue with support for Ukraine, the military assistance, humanitarian assistance, but as far as those F-16s, those are not on the table for now, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And then Priscilla China, apparently is offering a peace proposal to help end the conflict. Is there a reaction coming from the White House?

ALVAREZ: Plenty of scrutiny. China had sent or put out a 12-point plan. A peace plan. And in that included, for example, respecting sovereignty resuming peace talks, and none of this included concrete proposals for how to get there. But it's already facing quite a bit of scrutiny from the United States President. Biden also work on this. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[13:15:03]

BIDEN: If Putin is applauding it, so how could it be any good? I'm not being facetious. I'm being deadly earnest.

I've seen nothing in the plan that would indicate that there is something that would be beneficial to anyone other than Russia if the Chinese plan were followed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, of course, this also comes against the backdrop of intelligence that suggests that China would provide ammunition and drones to Russia. So, not a lot of optimism from the U.S. when it comes to this peace plan that they put out this week.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll leave it there for now. Priscilla Alvarez, Melissa Bell, thanks to both of you. Appreciate it. All right. In this quick programming note, be sure to join Clarissa Ward as she takes an in-depth look at Ukraine one year after the war began. Watch the "CNN SPECIAL REPORT," The Will to Win, Ukraine at War. Tomorrow night at 8:00 pm. Eastern.

And a developing weather situation in California. Blizzard warnings are now in effect in Los Angeles for the first time in 34 years. A rare winter storm, hard to believe these images. Blanketing the region up to eight feet of snow is possible in some areas. But snow is just part of the problem. Heavy rain is also causing flash flood watches as well impacting 20 million people.

CNN's Camila Bernal is live for us in Lebec. There you are in all the snow in Lebec, California. Oh my gosh. Camila. It only seems like it's worsening the conditions that is.

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, it hasn't stopped snowing all day long. So, it's either snow or rain. That's what we've seen for the last 24 hours or so. And it has not stopped. What you see behind me or maybe you can't even see it because it is white. It -- this is the I5, we're essentially on the grapevine. This is a major highway that connects Los Angeles to San Francisco.

And it is shut down because it is too dangerous for drivers. Yesterday, authorities that there was about a 20-mile stretch of highway that was closed. They were trying to get it cleaned up. But it's just been impossible. And if it's not the snow, as I mentioned, it's the rain. So yesterday we had a lot of rain as well. And I want to show you what happens. It then freezes. So, what you're getting is black ice on a lot of these highways.

If you are in some of the mountain areas, you're stuck. That's what officials and even scientists are saying because in the mountains you can get seven, eight feet of snow. Lower elevation areas. Even three, four feet of snow. So, a lot of the drivers stranded throughout California because of what we're experiencing right now. Here are some of those drivers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTYN STAFFORD, CALIFORNIA TRAVELER: We heard like over the radio saying that oh hey, like a snow. So, I think it was like a winter advisor or something like over the radio. And we were like, oh no. And then all of a sudden like this blizzard came.

We didn't know where. We were didn't know where we could go. We didn't know what roads are safe. I didn't even know it snowed in California. I didn't think that this was a thing. So, it's kind of -- it's pretty, but it's like, why are you here? So, it's supposed to be a warm state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: And yes, it's pretty. We have seen children and their mothers playing. There are snowball fights. But it is dangerous. It is inconvenient. There's about 120,000 people all over the state without power at the moment. We're seeing some of those power trucks trying to get out of here to go restore power. But again, it's even difficult for them to get out and work. So, that's what we're seeing all over the stage.

Everyone impacted. There's a lot of rain. Further south and further east of us in the Los Angeles area. There are warnings of flooding, cars that had been stranded, people that are out and about and authority saying look, if you can stay home, it's better for you to stay home. This could be a historic storm. It could be the largest single event snowfall that California has ever seen.

We've not had this kind of weather since the 80s. And so, a lot of people just experiencing something that they have never seen the floor, Fred.

WHITFIELD: No. I mean -- and I think a whole lot of people wouldn't be as prepared as you are right now. You've got the proper gear and that's supposed to be Southern California. All right. Camila Bernal, thank you so much.

All right. Heavy snow also being blamed for a dangerous collapse in Wisconsin. Watch this. The roof of a mall parking garage, just like that, caving in under pressure in suburban Milwaukee. And barely missing one car. No one thankfully was injured. Two cars believed to be unoccupied. Were though crushed in that collapse. And the parking garage is now closed as structural crews work to prevent further damage. But you know what? The mall remains open.

Alex Murdaugh takes a stand in his own murder trial. He talks about his drug use, stealing millions of dollars and the lie he told the police about where he was on the day. Members of his family were murdered. We'll take you through the stunning testimony straight ahead.

[13:20:06]

Plus, President Biden acknowledges that there were degrees of irresponsibility on how his team may have classified material, but says his team is cooperating with investigators in contrast with former President Trump. We'll discuss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Accused double murderer, Alex Murdaugh admits to being a serial liar. He admits he was at the scene. Those dog kennels just minutes before his wife and son were brutally slaughtered. And he admits to having a pill addiction for roughly two decades but he insists he is not a killer. The disgraced former attorney was back on the witness stand Friday facing a second round of tough questioning.

CNN's Diane Gallagher has been following this case from Walterboro, South Carolina and has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CREIGHTON WATERS, LEAD PROSECUTOR: So, you like you've done so many times over the course of your life had to back up and make a new story that kind of fit with the facts --

[13:25:07]

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Alex Murdaugh under cross examination for a second day. Several times getting heated.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: You dang right. I'm consistent about that because a very short time before that, David Owens is asking me questions and telling me I'm a suspect in the murder of my wife and my child and asking me about my clothes. You dang right it was important.

WATERS: Because the only thing you're concerned about is yourself. You're not concerned about giving accurate information to law enforcement.

GALLAGHER: As he tries to convince the jury he did not kill his wife Maggie and son Paul.

MURDAUGH: You mean like did I shoot my wife and my son?

WATERS: Yes.

MURDAUGH: No.

GALLAGHER: Prosecutor Creighton Waters pushing Murdaugh hard over his admission of lying about being at the family dog kennels, where the bodies were found the night of the murders.

WATERS: Pretty much all that was lies when --

MURDAUGH: Everything about me not going to the kennel was a lie.

WATERS: And you're able to just do that so easily and so convincingly and so naturally, don't You?

GALLAGHER: And hammering Murdaugh on what the prosecution is calling his new story.

WATERS: You also looked at this jury and tried to tell them that you had been cooperative in this investigation,

MURDAUGH: Other than lying to them about going to the kennel, I was cooperative in every aspect of this investigation.

WATERS: Very cooperative except for maybe the most important factor ball that you were at the murder scene with the victims just minutes before they die.

GALLAGHER: Also revealed astonishing details we've never heard about just how serious Murdaugh says his opioid addiction was.

WATERS: So, you're taking 60 a day or something like that? I mean --

MURDAUGH: There were days where I took more than that.

GALLAGHER: But the majority of the cross-examination Friday focused on what happened June 7th, 2021.

WATERS: So, what you're telling this jury is that it's a random vigilante.

MURDAUGH: That's your --

(CROSSTALK)

WATERS: The 12-year-old -- the 12-year-old five-two people that just happened to know that Paul and Maggie were both at Moselle on June 7th that knew that they would be at the kennels alone on June the 7th and knew that you would not be there, but only between the times of 8:49 and 9;02, that they show up without a weapon, assuming that they're going to find weapons and ammunition in there, that they commit this crime during that short time window, and then they travel the same exact route that you do around the same time to Almeda. That's what you're trying to tell this jury.

MURDAUGH: You got a lot of factors in there, Mr. Waters. All of which I do not agree with but some of which I do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GALLAGHER: After more than a dozen hours on the stand. Alex Murdaugh is done with his testimony. But the trial continues. In fact, the defense has yet to rest its case. We're told they plan to call additional witnesses on Monday when court resumes.

Diane Gallagher, CNN, Walterboro, South Carolina.

WHITFIELD: And the University of Idaho has announced plans to demolish the house where four of its students were stabbed to death in November. Officials say they'll also create a memorial garden on campus for the victims and establish scholarships in their names. The suspect in this case, Bryan Kohlberger faces four counts of murder.

The alleged gunman behind a series of shootings in Orlando this week has pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder. More charges are expected for a 19-year-old Keith Moses. Police say he is suspected of shooting five people, three of them fatally. The victims include a nine-year-old girl, her mother and television reporter. Police are still searching for a motive behind the killings.

And two years after Trump left office and after several searches of his Mar-a-Lago property, CNN has exclusive new reporting on how classified documents are still turning up at his Palm Beach Resort. As recently as known as December rather, details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:33:16]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. In a CNN exclusive report, the Justice Department now wants to know how a box of classified documents turned up at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home months after federal agents searched it several times.

Investigators interviewed a Trump aide recently, who was involved in copying some classified materials from that box, then putting them onto a laptop.

CNN's Paula Reid takes a closer look at this latest twist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Special Counsel Jack Smith wants to know why classified documents are still showing up at Mar-a-Lago as recently as December, especially because it's been two years since former President Trump left office.

Now investigators are trying to determine whether this is just a result of carelessness or if this is part of an intentional effort to obstruct investigators in their efforts to reclaim government documents.

We've learned that prosecutors are specifically interested in a box that was discovered at Mar-a-Lago by Trump lawyers back in December.

We're told this box contained a handful of classified documents tucked in among schedules and other non-classified materials.

Further complicating this, back in 2021, a young staffer scanned all the documents in that box onto a laptop. This was done at the direction of her supervisor.

She scanned the docs with her phone, though sources insist she did not know there were classified materials among all of the things she was scanning.

Sources tell CNN, after those things were scanned, the box was moved to an off-site location for quite a long time before ending up back at Mar-a-Lago, where it was discovered in a closet where Trump keeps Challenge Coins and other mementos.

The box, the laptop, the thumb drive, connected to the laptop, have all been handed over to investigators.

[13:35:04]

And the young aide that we just discussed, she sat for a voluntary interview with investigators in recent weeks to discuss how all of this happened.

The prosecutors continue to ask why this box wasn't given to the Justice Department, why it was conveniently off campus during the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago, and what, if any role, the former president may have had in its movements.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much, Paula Reid.

President Biden is defending his team's handling of classified documents found in his home and office from his time as vice president.

During an ABC News interview Friday night, Biden says he has voluntarily cooperated with investigators and drew distinctions between how his team has dealt with the documents compared to how Donald Trump and his aides have dealt with documents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You guys were showing on television things lying on the ground that were "top secret," you know, national code word.

And the difference is every single solitary thing I've been asked to do, I've done voluntarily.

I've invited the Justice Department to come into every aspect of any place that I had any control over.

There was no need for search warrants. No need -- what do you need? Just come. Whatever you want, whatever you want, wherever you want to go, you can go. That is totally different.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Renato Mariotti is a former federal prosecutor.

Renato, so good to see you.

So these distinctions that the sitting president is making about his predecessor, fair game?

RENATO MARIOTTI, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think so. I would actually put Vice President Pence in the same bucket with the current president.

In other words, Mike Pence and President Biden both discovered that there were classified documents that were in their possession, apparently inadvertently.

They cooperated with the authorities. They alerted authorities to the existence of those documents. They voluntarily consented to a search.

I think that's very different than the case of Donald Trump, where not only was there a request for these documents but there was a grand jury subpoena.

And after a grand jury subpoena and the visit, there was a thumbing of the nose at the Justice Department search warrant being executed on his residence.

WHITFIELD: Now on this new reporting by our Paula Reid, we are hearing reportedly classified information were scanned. From there, we don't know, or at least that information hasn't been provided to us. Where has that information gone? How will investigators try to

discover the trail of how those documents might have been handled, classified documents handled?

The scanning of that information, even though the aide says, unbeknownst to that person, they were classified. But where did that scanned information go?

MARIOTTI: Yes, great question. I think everybody watching this can understand that if you had -- classified documents just get thrown into your home or your car or something, it doesn't necessarily mean you're guilty of a crime.

Just as if somebody planted narcotics in your car or something like that, right? What matters is whether you knowingly possessed, in that case, the narcotics or, in this case, the classified documents.

And really what this is about is trying to figure out why, after there were these visits by the Justice Department and subpoenas and ultimately, as I mentioned, literally the FBI was executing a search warrant at the Mar-a-Lago residence, why were there still documents left over?

We know from other reporting that the Justice Department has also been investigating boxes being moved from one room to another.

I think what they're going to ultimately do -- you mentioned our reporting from Paula Reid -- is that they are questioning the aide.

I think what they're going to do is work their way up the ladder until they find people who are not forthcoming or taking the Fifth.

That will essentially be their answer, is if you're the person that potentially was willfully retaining documents or willfully removing documents in order to obstruct the authorities in that case.

WHITFIELD: Now Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are also being subpoenaed this week by the special counsel investigating January 6th.

You know, Trump did not try to stop them from testifying before the House special committee that investigated the capitol insurrection as both appeared on videotaped interviews.

Do you expect Trump to claim executive privilege in any way, shape or form as it concerns these new subpoenas?

[13:40:01]

MARIOTTI: Very difficult to do. The cat's out of the bag, so to speak. When you disclose something, it's very hard to then say later on that it's privileged. So I think very unlikely to do that.

I think the real fight is going to be over the testimony from Vice President Mike Pence, and that's still ongoing.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll leave it there for now. Renato Mariotti, good to see you. Thank you so much.

MARIOTTI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, a new study shows insomnia may be linked to a higher risk of having a heart attack. The magic number of hours of sleep scientists say we need. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. Insomnia may cost you more than just a good night's sleep. A new study found that it could lead to a heart attack.

CNN's Elizabeth Cohen brings us the findings.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Intuitively, we all know that a good night's sleep is important for our health, but a group of researchers really put it to the test.

[13:45:01]

They took more than a million people from the U.S., the U.K. and other countries and they looked to see if folks who suffered from insomnia were more likely to have heart attacks.

Insomnia is defined as someone who has trouble going to sleep or staying asleep.

And here's what they found. Over the course of the study, 1.6 percent of folks who suffered from insomnia had a heart attack. And 1.2 percent of those who did not suffer from insomnia had a heart attack.

Now, that might not look like such a big difference, but when you think how this is more than a million people, it actually is quite a big difference.

We know that a good night's sleep is good for your health in other ways, too. Let's look at some tips for getting that good night's sleep.

First, stick to a sleep schedule. Try to go to sleep at around the same time every night and wake up around the same time every morning.

Before you go to bed, avoid cell phones or TVs or computers. There's something about that kind of light that can mess up sleep patterns.

Also, don't eat or drink for a few hours before bed. And your bed should be cool, dark and quiet.

It also helps, if during the day, you get as much natural light as possible and physical activity.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, Elizabeth Cohen, thanks so much.

New today, about two million Cosori air fryers have been recalled because of a potential fire hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says it's receive 205 reports of the fryers catching fire and burning and melting.

The fryers were sold from June 2018 through December 2022, costing between $70 and $130. You can contact the company for a free replacement.

A slow-moving winter storm bringing blizzard-like conditions up and down the California coast. The first-ever blizzard warning is in effect for the San Bernardino County mountains.

In southern California, residents could see up to five feet of snow. It's unbelievable. We'll have a live update straight ahead.

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[13:51:26]

WHITFIELD: All right, though it may not feel like it everywhere, especially in southern California, spring is definitely in the air with the start of Major League Baseball just around the corner.

Spring training is finally here, and it's bringing some big new rule changes to America's pastime.

CNN's Andy Scholes is here to break it all down.

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ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Fredricka, spring training is off and running. And we have our first look at how all the big rule changes will affect the game.

The biggest change fans are going to notice right away is the giant pitch clock behind home plate.

So pitchers now have 15 seconds to throw a pitch with the bases empty, 20 seconds with runners on base. If they don't beat the clock, a ball will be awarded to the hitter.

Now, hitters also have to be in the box ready to go with eight seconds on the clock or they will get a strike.

And that actually already happened to the Padres' Manny Machado yesterday. Certainly going to be a big adjustment.

Baseball hopes this new move will shave 20 to 25 minutes off game times.

The other new rules baseball has implemented, to hopefully make the game more exciting, are pitchers can now only try to pick off runners twice while they're on base. A third results in a ball. This should help stolen bases go way up this season. And the base is also much bigger now, which will help boost offense.

They went from 15 inches to 18 inches.

And to even further help scoring, defenses will no longer be allowed to shift the infield. That means the shortstop can't go stand in shallow right field when a left-hander is up at the plate. Got to stay to the left side of second base.

This should cause batting averages to increase this season, especially for those left-handed hitters.

Now, all of these are going to be big adjustments. You've got 17 spring training games today. Going to be especially fun to watch how some of these pitchers, who are used to taking their time, handle that new pitch clock.

Major League Soccer, meanwhile, kicks off its regular season later today. Eleven 11 games on the schedule.

But the defending champs, LAFC, actually will not be in action. Fredricka, unfortunately, El Trafico was canceled yesterday because of the bad weather in Los Angeles. They rescheduled that big game for July 4th.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Andy Scholes.

President Biden says that Ukraine does not need F-16s. This, despite pleas from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials for those jets. How this could impact the war in Ukraine as it goes into its second year now?

But first, this week's "START SMALL, THINK BIG."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS MARSHALL, OWNER, SANS BAR: Sans Bar is all the bar without the alcohol. We really want to create a space where everyone feels welcome, so from curious to sober serious, sober sometimes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The conversation is so much better. It's real, it's deep and real connections.

MARSHALL: We have karaoke. We do drag shows. We have talent shows. We do mocktail competitions.

We're creating these really rich and audacious cocktails. The Sweet Caroline, that uses an alcohol-free blueberry and mint distillate. We add that to some ginger beer and a little bit of lime.

The Nada-Colada. It's got coconut cream, pineapple. We mix that in with a little bit of alcohol-free rum.

I started hosting pop-ups across the country in 2018. I knew I wanted to accelerate the rate at which we were seeing non-alcoholic options across the country.

[13:55:04]

I was 23 years old when I stopped drinking. So those very early years of my sobriety were marked by a lot of 12-step meetings, a lot of coffee, but no real, like, fun.

If you closed your eyes, you would feel like you were at any bar in America, just without the alcohol.

It really is all about everyone having a space where they can find community.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[14:00:06]

WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.