Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

DeSantis Previews Likely 2024 Strategy In Newly Released Book; U.S. Marshals Service Scrambles To Protect Sensitive Info; Authorities Took DNA Swab From Idaho Murder Suspect. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired February 28, 2023 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Ron DeSantis' new book hits shelves today and the Florida governor is leaning hard into culture wars. He's ramping up for an all but certain 2024 run for president. DeSantis plays to -- plans to visit early voting states during this book tour.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: In this book, DeSantis argues he can bring his leadership in Florida to the nation.

Writing: The Florida blueprint is a simple formula, be willing to lead, have the courage of your convictions, deliver for your constituents, and reap the political rewards. This is a blueprint for America's revival. We've shown it can be done.

BLACKWELL: CNN's Steve Contorno joins us now. I'm so excited to get to Steve I just jumped in the middle of your quote. Sorry. Steve, how is DeSantis pitching himself in this book?

STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Victor, it's really interesting. He talks a lot about being someone who not only talked the talk on a lot of these culture war, conservative, ideological issues, but someone who has really walked the walk. He talks in his book extensively about how he actually had his staff come up with a list of all the, quote, constitutional, statutory and customary powers that were in the state constitution, in laws, so that he can find the pressure points that could help him push through this really, you know, contentious agenda, and all these policy victories.

And this is something his campaign -- excuse me, his political team talks about, forming this idea that he is someone who has gotten a lot done. He's doesn't have just political wins, but he has policy victories. And this book really kind of lays out not just how -- not just showing how he's done this but takes some subtle jabs at a particular Republican who did not get a whole lot done as president, Donald Trump.

[04:35:03]

In fact, there is this suggestion that he was bemoaning the fact that in the first two years of Trump's presidency, when Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress, they didn't get a lot done. There's this interesting quote where he says, here we have a unified government for the first time in more than a decade and yet so much of the time was frittered away on matters like the conspiracy theory that Donald Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia, which GOP-led committees investigated for two years.

Why Congress didn't do more significant things such as appropriating money to build the wall at the U.S./Mexico border was beyond me. So, there you have it. That's the way we're going to see these guys frame their debate as they head into the presidential primary, once DeSantis finally jumps in, guys.

BLACKWELL: All right, it's clearer though that he's going to make that jump. Steve Contorno, thanks so much.

GOLODRYGA: Well still to come, the U.S. Marshals Service says their system was attacked by ransomware. On that system, sensitive law enforcement information. We'll give you some details ahead.

[04:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: The U.S. Marshals Service is scrambling to protect what it's calling sensitive information after becoming the latest U.S. government agency to be hit with a cyberattack.

BLACKWELL: The Marshals Service discovered the ransom hack and theft of data from its network in mid-February. It's at least the second significant malicious cyber incident to affect federal law enforcement agencies this month. CNN's cyber reporter Sean Lyngaas is joining us now. Sean, what more do we know about the attack and the potential suspects here?

SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Well, Victor, Bianna, everyone knows the U.S. Marshals Service from, you know, movies like "The Fugitive" in the '90s and they're out and about protecting prisoners and guarding them. But like everyone else, they deal with computer systems and store data. And they store data on some sensitive things. In this case, the Marshals Service is now confirming that someone -- and they haven't said who -- but some sort of cybercriminal group was able to break into one of their computer systems and lock up some of the data, and then also steal it.

So, it is what is known as a double extortion method, where they have not only data to try to demand a ransom, but they also have encrypted the system. Now we don't know if there was a ransom that was demanded. The Marshals Service and the FBI counsel people not to pay the ransom. So, it would be ironic indeed if they were considering paying the ransom. But we don't have any evidence of that, Victor and Bianna.

And I've been on the, you know, dark web forums today, looking for claims of responsibility, and haven't seen anything to that effect. Normally a group dumps the data and names the victim, if that victim hasn't paid. So, that may be yet to happen. But, like you said, this is a second sizable cyber incident to be disclosed in the last few weeks, involving federal law enforcement.

We broke the news a few weeks ago on the FBI dealing with a malicious cyber incident that we reported affected some of the bureau's computers that deal with child pornography. So, this is something that they're working to contain and it has been -- you know, just an example of how this is something that the federal agencies prosecute and they're going after these people, but they also have to deal with them going after their own networks, Victor and Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: No indication yet whether it's a nation state or private entity, but nonetheless very troubling. Sean Lyngaas thank you.

BLACKWELL: After months of requests, the DOJ is set to brief top Congressional leaders on the classified documents found at Trump and Biden and Pence's homes. Details next.

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: And this just into CNN. New court documents reveal that police seized various items from the home of Brian Kohberger's parents back in December. Kohberger is the man suspected of the quadruple homicide at the University of Idaho last year.

BLACKWELL: CNN's Jean Casarez is with us now. You say you just got this, what did investigators find?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was just released, just made public and what we know is that the home was searched on December 30th, 1:25 in the morning. This was an overnight search warrant. It was agreed to by the judge, which can be more dangerous. But for the first time, we now know what they collected from that home. Let's show everyone.

This is in eastern Pennsylvania. They got a DNA buccal swab of Brian Kohberger, four medical style gloves, a silver flashlight, a black sweatshirt, black socks, a pair of size 13 Nike shoes. There were some other additional items. But let me tell you what is important with this.

First of all, authorities were surveilling Brian Kohberger since that Wednesday and they allege they saw him taking trash bags, putting them in other people's trash receptacles while wearing gloves. What were in the bags, what could be on the gloves forensically speaking important. You saw the items of clothes that are in black. Everybody has black clothes, right. But we do know the roommate in Idaho said that she saw someone all dressed in black the night of those murders approaching her as she stood at the doorway of her room. So, that could be significant. Obviously a flashlight, they were interested in.

Now, here's one thing we don't see on this return, is any electronic devices like a phone or anything like that. But we know that authorities, the FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police knew he was in that home because they were surveilling him through the pings on the phone.

[04:50:00] They even ask in this warrant a judge because of the technology now opening iPhones, because some are facial recognition, some are you put your fingertip on, they asked the judge to allow them to have him do that so they could open a phone, but we don't see the collection of one electronic device.

GOLODRYGA: And the shoes, possible DNA on them as well.

CASAREZ: I think the size of the shoes is important, because remember, there was that latent footprint exactly in the home. So, does that match the size of his shoe?

BLACKWELL: Yes, those four families waited so long for a suspect. And now some progress in the investigation.

CASAREZ: And the probable cause hearing is set for June.

BLACKWELL: All right. Jean Casarez, thanks so much.

GOLODRYGA: More than $400 billion are at stake at the Supreme Court right now as the justices hear oral arguments on President Biden's Student Debt Forgiveness program. More details ahead.

[04:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: Well, from pet influencer to cakism, dictionary.com has added hundreds of new words to reflect the ever-changing English language. But what do some of them mean? Victor, please enlighten us.

BLACKWELL: So I'm going the read some of these new words.

GOLODRYGA: OK.

BLACKWELL: And then I'm going give you the opportunity to guess the definition.

GOLODRYGA: Oh, God, OK, OK.

BLACKWELL: OK, so the first one is deadass. What's the definition?

GOLODRYGA: Ass dead. I don't know.

BLACKWELL: OK, not ass dead. Genuinely, sincerely or truly, in fact. You hear that a lot in Brooklyn. Like, I'm note going, deadass. Like I'm serious about that. I'm not doing it. OK, next one is talmbout.

GOLODRYGA: Zero clue. Talk about, I don't know.

BLACKWELL: A phonetic spelling representing an African American vernacular English pronunciation of talking about. Used especially online.

GOLODRYGA: Did I get that right?

BLACKWELL: Talmbout.

GOLODRYGA: I said talking about.

BLACKWELL: OK, you're close. Half credit.

GOLODRYGA: OK.

BLACKWELL: Three, petfluencer.

GOLODRYGA: OK, is that when you're a celebrity and your pet becomes a celebrity?

BLACKWELL: Yes, yes.

GOLODRYGA: Really!

BLACKWELL: Not so bad. You have a big following online because of your pet.

GOLODRYGA: Not so bad, it could have been worse.

BLACKWELL: All right, 1.5 out of 3.

All right, "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)