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Pence won't Appeal Judge's Ruling About Grand Jury Testimony; Taiwanese Pres: To Seek Peace, "We Must Be Strong"; FBI, DOJ Open Civil Right Probe Into Police Shooting Of Teen; Officials: Arrest In Florida Triple Homicide Could Be "Imminent." Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired April 05, 2023 - 15:00   ET

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

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: The holy sites behind me are known as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound or Haram al-Sharif, the third holiest sites in Islam. You can actually hear the call to prayer going on right now. But it's also known as Temple Mount to Jews and it's the holiest site in Judaism.

Now there is a status quo that governs these holy sites. And the Israeli police entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is this building right here with a black roof behind me, that is considered a violation of the status quo and then not only them entering, but then them entering in the way they did, firing stun grenades and rubber bullets, well, that brought it to a whole other level.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOLD (voice over): Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have denounced Israel for what happened. The Jordanian foreign minister saying the world must clearly condemned the attack.

Shortly after the raid, rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel, the militant group Hamas saying Israel's actions in Jerusalem wouldn't go unanswered. Israeli military said it had struck Hamas weapons sites in Gaza in response.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLD (on camera): And the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs says that violence has no place in a holy site and during a holy season calling for restraint and de-escalation. Guys, there's a lot of concern this will spiral even further. In just the last few minutes, the IDF says two more rockets were actually attempted fire from Gaza into Israel. They didn't cross the border.

But as we speak, we can say that it is calm at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound where Islamic authorities say 20,000 worshippers are praying at this very moment, guys.

ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Hadas Gold, appreciate it. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN breaking news.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: It is a top of a very busy hour on CNN NEWSROOM. Hello, everyone. I'm Bianna Golodryga. HILL: And I'm Erica Hill.

GOLODRYGA: Breaking news for you right now, former Vice President Mike Pence will not appeal a judge's decision that would require him to testify to the grand jury about Trump's actions leading up to the January 6 insurrection.

HILL: CNN's Katelyn Polantz joining us now with this breaking news. So Katelyn, what more do we know, what specifically is the former vice president saying?

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Well, this announcement today comes from an spokesman for former Vice President Mike Pence and he is saying that Trump or - I'm sorry - that Pence will comply with a subpoena that he received from January 6th investigators based out of Washington calling him to the grand jury operating out of the federal court here.

They are wanting to ask him about conversations he had with Donald Trump from the election on, the whole way, leading up to January 6, at that time that Donald Trump was putting pressure on Mike Pence to try and block the election, a crucial piece of what the Special Counsel's office is looking into as they're investigating January 6.

Now, the way we got here is that there had been an unprecedented subpoena of the former vice president to testify about the President that he served under and initially there had been two core challenges over this Donald Trump had tried to challenge and Mike Pence had also tried to challenge in court this subpoena.

We know that the judge ruled - essentially that they - that he needed to show up and testify that Donald Trump couldn't claim any secrecy around the presidency over their conversations and also that Mike Pence would not be able to not give testimony, he would need to go into that grand jury.

Now, Pence did win a little bit here and he, in his statement today, is underlining how the principle prevailed that he had argued in court that the vice president can be covered by constitutional protections for members of Congress because he was acting as the presiding officer over the Senate on January 6th.

But even so, at the end of the day, the announcement is that Pence is not going to appeal the judge's decision saying he must go testify. And thus he is agreeing to do that as required by law he says. Now, Trump could also try and appeal some things, but he keeps losing in court every time he has tried to block testimony in this criminal investigation.

We don't exactly know when Pence is going to go into the grand jury, but the Special Counsel's office has been very aggressive in getting witnesses in and right now, Mike Pence is going to be a key witness.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. We've been waiting for this decision. We've been told by people around him that that he will make this decision soon and now we know that he will not be appealing this judge's ruling and that he will be testifying to at least some of his actions, not on what he did on January 6, he views that as a victory, but on any conversations that he had with the former president the days leading up to it.

POLANTZ: Exactly.

GOLODRYGA: Katelyn Polantz, keep us posted on any developments specifically on timing when you get them.

In the meantime, we want to take you to California where House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is giving remarks alongside Taiwan's president side after holding a meeting together, let's listen.

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): We will honor our obligations and reiterate our commitment to our shared values behind which all Americans are united.

[15:04:59]

Today was a bipartisan meeting, Republicans and Democrats united together in a place that symbolizes the freedom and the commitment and the bond, it's only become stronger with the president with us today. President Tsai?

TSAI ING-WEN, TAIWAN: Thank you. Speaker McCarthy, friends, I am delighted to visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library once again. This time with Speaker McCarthy, a distinguished member of the Congress. I want to thank Speaker McCarthy for his warm hospitality and for his invitation to bipartisan congressional leaders, who have taken time out of their busy schedules to join us today.

Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone.

I want to thank Speaker McCarthy for his warm hospitality and for his invitation to bipartisan congressional leaders who have taken time out of their busy schedules to join us today. Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated, and we are not alone. It is especially fitting for us to meet here to pay tribute to a distinguished American president and world leader, a man who also played a crucial role in partnership with the U.S. Congress in protecting and fortifying U.S. Taiwan relations, at a time of changing diplomatic realities.

President Reagan's six assurances of 1982, on top of the landmark Taiwan Relations Act passed by the Congress, laid the foundation for a strong and unique partnership for over four decades, during which we have maintained peace and promoted prosperity and welcomed the advent of Taiwan's democracy.

However, it is no secret that today the peace that we have maintained and the democracy which we have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges. We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat, and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated.

President Reagan said it best: "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation. In a discussion with congressional leaders this morning, I reiterated Taiwan's commitment to defending the peaceful status quo, where the people of Taiwan may continue to strive in a free and open society.

I also highlighted a belief which President Reagan championed, that to preserve peace, we must be strong. I would like to add that we are stronger when we are together.

For this, I also express our deepest gratitude on behalf of the Taiwanese people to members of the Congress on both aisle - on both sides of the aisle over a number of initiatives that have helped to make Taiwan and our partnership stronger. Specifically, initiatives in the realm of enhancing Taiwan's self-defense capabilities, fostering robust trade and economic ties between us, and supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in the international community, and also to seek out our shared interests in peace and prosperity across the Indo- Pacific.

Taiwan strives to be a reliable partner to the world, a cornerstone for stability in the region and a force for good. There is a saying in the Confucian Analects, that is, "one who is virtuous will not stand alone." In our efforts to protect our way of life, Taiwan is grateful to have the United States of America by our side.

[15:10:06]

As we confront the unique challenges of our time, let us be mindful of the principles that have forged our great partnerships and bear in mind the lessons of President Reagan's enduring legacy.

Once again, thank you, Speaker McCarthy, for your warmth and for your friendship. Thank you to all our friends in Congress for standing by Taiwan. Thank you.

MCCARTHY: Thank you for everything.

ING-WEN: Thank you.

HILL: And there you heard there a little bit from Speaker McCarthy and of course from President Tsai there, talking about the appreciation for the unwavering support, noting we are stronger when we are together. We had heard, of course, from our report there will not be questions.

Back with us now, Will Ripley, joining us from Taipei, Taiwan, Phil Mattingly is at the White House.

Will, that message that was delivered there, anything surprising in those words to you?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not surprising, but I - as someone who's interviewed Tsai Ing-wen and who knows how well prepared she is, how much thought she puts into every word that she speaks, how careful she is not to say anything that could cross a line that could push Beijing or give Beijing and excuse to go further than they already are going with their military activities near this island.

This is a - this is truly the pinnacle, I would say, of her two-term presidency. She has worked over the last almost eight years now. She's entering the last year of her second term to elevate Taiwan's international status and to tell the story of Taiwan and Taiwan's democracy.

A lot of people don't realize that Taiwan's Democracy is only 27 years old. It actually came to fruition in 1996 after decades of a brutal dictatorship under the U.S. ally dictator Chiang Kai-shek, who was the losing side of China's Civil War.

They were in - they were throwing some of the people, some of the politicians in Tsai Ing-wen's party who are now in control, they were throwing them in jail for having these underground meetings and accusing them of plotting against the government. Taiwan went from that to now a young, vibrant democracy with a thriving economy producing more than 60 percent of the world's advanced microchips, having relationships, albeit informal ones with some of the most powerful democracies in the world.

And none, of course, more important to Taiwan than the United States, because of this bipartisan support and also the billions of dollars in the sale of defensive weapons in the event that China did try to invade.

So to have Tsai Ing-wen standing there right now with Kevin McCarthy side by side, that legitimacy. It is a huge win for Tsai and her party the DPP after they lost to the local elections to another party of the KMT, which is viewed to be pro Beijing.

In fact, incidentally, the former president of Taiwan and KMT official, Ma Ying-jeou, he was invited by China during Tsai Ing-wen's time that she's transiting through the United States, because China is hoping that in the presidential elections, Tsai's party will lose, which is very much moving towards the United States and this other party, KMT, could win, which might bring Beijing a closer government that they feel that they can work with, even though - even the KMT cannot support what Xi Jinping has stated, is inevitable, which is that China will someday control this island.

They talked about Hong Kong, one country, two systems. People in Taiwan watched what happened in Hong Kong. And a growing number of people, certainly young people here not only don't identify as Chinese but are absolutely unwilling to accept a Chinese takeover without a fight and that's why people are taking self defense classes and they've expanded the military conscription or in the process of doing that.

So people instead of serving for a couple of months are going to have to serve compulsory military service for a year. I mean, Taiwan is bracing itself for the worst, but they're hoping that this relationship with the United States and discussions and plans about how to prevent a Chinese invasion will deter Xi Jinping, will make him think that it's going to be just too problematic to try to invade Taiwan. With that said, China undoubtedly probably will show some sort of military display as a result of this. The question is, though, how far are they going to push it. They have their own diplomatic headaches to worry about, and they have the French president and the EU Commission president in Beijing right now.

Would Xi overshadow you know that diplomacy and potentially further alienate the West over this issue of this meeting in California? We don't know because trying to so completely non-transparent when it comes to these sort of things. It's going to be anyone's guess what the military and what Beijing does.

[15:15:06]

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and we know that President Macron is hoping to pressure President Xi to use his influence over Vladimir Putin to bring an end to this war. Obviously, that didn't happen when President Macron attempted that same diplomacy with Vladimir Putin in the months leading up to the war.

I want to get to Phil Mattingly on that point, because Phil, we heard President Tsai earlier in the first leg of her trip mentioned in a speech in New York. Again, this trip they're calling a transit stop in the United States on their way to Central America say that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a wakeup call to the country. They increase their military budget. It's - at about $20 billion, still a fraction of what China's budget is.

But where does the United States stand specifically, Phil, with regards to this meeting. I know the language out of the White House has been not to overreact for China, it was notable that there were no questions asked during this presser between the two, but how's the White House viewing this meeting?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think the most public messaging has certainly been directed towards Beijing, making very clear that this should not be viewed as out of the norm, this shouldn't be viewed as something that should drive any kind of escalation, and that they want to maintain open lines of communication, something that's also been communicated behind the scenes at the highest levels as well.

But there's a reality here and that is one that this has happened before and there's always a balancing act between whatever the current U.S. administration is attempting to convey publicly as it relates to the bilateral relationship with China and the reality of where bipartisan lawmakers and a large swath of them at that stand on this issue and have stood on this issue.

And I think the momentum behind Taiwan or behind assistance towards Taiwan, both on the economic and defense side of things for self defense purposes has only grown in recent years. And I think in large part, it's interesting what Will and what you guys are talking about in relation to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there's not a person inside this administration you talk to that doesn't view what's happening in Ukraine through the lens of what that may mean for China and Taiwan, how that may shift or maybe drive any calculations in the future made by Xi Jinping and China.

Military leaders are certainly discussing that and publicly - in public more so in private, administration officials are as well. And I think all of that kind of can - converges into this very unsettled moment, unsettled, just on a simple bilateral basis between the U.S. and China for any number of reasons that have escalated tension over the course of the last several years.

But certainly on this issue, specifically when military leaders go to Capitol Hill, they say in public forums, that conflict is - seems to be coming to some degree that certainly they are planning for that. Certainly they are aware of that reality.

And I think what's been most interesting when you talk to White House officials is publicly they made clear this shouldn't be viewed as escalatory. No administration officials are meeting with the Taiwanese president or anybody in her delegation while they're here. But they also acknowledge the reality of lawmakers get to do what they want to do in this issue.

They certainly consult with administration officials and it's not just Speaker Kevin McCarthy, this is a bipartisan delegation that President Tsai is meeting with in California. She met with the House Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries in New York, she met with bipartisan groups of senators as well.

And so that balancing act of that dynamic at a very, very tenuous moment from a geopolitical perspective is something the administration has attempted to balance and certainly is aware of could lead to some type of escalation in the days ahead.

Their biggest question right now is, A, what would that be and, B, they hope it's kind of contained to some degree and not reflective of what they saw in the wake of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit last year.

HILL: Interesting to see. We'll be watching for all of it. Phil, Will, I know you both will keep us updated as well appreciate it.

The family of the 17-year-old shot and killed by park police officer is now speaking out. What they're saying about the body camera footage that's been released, that's next.

GOLODRYGA: And an arrest may be imminent in the murders of three teenagers in Central Florida. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:23:17]

HILL: Well, the FBI and DOJ have opened a civil rights investigation into the fatal police shooting of a teenager in Washington, D.C. This as authorities released new body cam video of that deadly encounter and we do want to warn you, perhaps not surprisingly, this video is disturbing.

Now, it all began after police responded to reports of a stolen vehicle last month. Officers say they found 17-year-old Dalaneo Martin asleep inside and then approached the vehicle they say to try to pull him out. Well, at one point, the video does show a Park's police officers jump into the backseat before the vehicle suddenly drives off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't move. Don't move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get off of me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop. Stop, man, just let me out. Let me out. Stop. Stop or I'll shoot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Well, seconds later the vehicle crashes into a nearby home. Officers then pulled Martin out called for medical assistance and began doing chest compressions.

Let's bring in CNN Sunlen Serfaty for more on this.

So Sunlen, the family of the teen is now speaking out. What are they saying?

HILL: The family is devastated by this video. They say just opens up many more questions that they have about the circumstances of his death. Like why did the officer getting in the car, why did he stay in the car and they referenced this a few times this specific portion of the video of the body cam video where the police had this long discussion outside the car while he slept inside and they're discussing ways to get into the car and how to arrest him.

[15:25:06]

And at one point how a Metropolitan D.C. police officer specifically says to the others, if he flees let him go and they're questioning why that did not happen. And they feel that this deadly interaction that ensued was in their words murder. And his mom spoke very emotionally today just a few hours ago here in D.C. about how she wants the officers identified, prosecuted and ultimately fired. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRA MARTIN, MOTHER OF DALANEO MARTIN: My son should still be here, but instead the officers - I want all the offices punished for all their roles. This pain hurt so bad. I just want justice for my son. And I need the officers to be locked up, all of them that played the role.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SARFATY: Now, none of the officers involved have been identified either by police agencies and the Park Police they still have not even confirmed the status of the officer who's shot Martin. Now, the MPD, they have launched their own investigation. And as you said today, the FBI and Justice Department did open a civil rights investigation.

They say, from the U.S. Attorney's Office, in coordination with the FBI Washington Field Office, the United States Attorney's Office, they have opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances leading to Mr. Martin's death. That investigation which we are committed to conducting diligently and thoroughly is ongoing.

So a lot many more questions here today, of course, Bianna and Erica, so much to still learn about this incident that happened in D.C. last month.

HILL: Yes, absolutely, Sunlen. Appreciate the update, thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Well, investigators in Florida say an arrest is imminent in the shooting deaths of three teenage friends in Marion County. The first victim a 16-year-old Layla Silvernail was found shot on the side of the road last Thursday. She later died at the hospital from critical conditions.

HILL: The next morning, deputies found the body of her friend, a 17- year-old boy who had also been shot and then days later authorities found a third body. The body also of a friend found inside a vehicle that had been partially submerged in a body of water.

CNN's Carlos Suarez joining us now. So what are investigators saying about this case, and how things are connected?

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica and Bianna investigators say that they have been able to identify several suspects in this case, but they did not want to say exactly when they believe they're going to be making an arrest. We know that the sheriff's office has dedicated a team of about 15 Detectives since this case got underway last week.

As you all said, the bodies of these three teens were found last Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The only team that's been identified so far has been 17 - 16-year-old rather, Layla Silvernail. It's important to note that the third body that was found in that car submerged in that body of water, we're told, a belong to Silvernail. The Sheriff's office just earlier this afternoon told us they gave us an update on this investigation. Again, they don't believe that there are any more victims out there. And a large part of why they decided to provide some of this information is because there have been some concern in Marion County that the sheriff's office there might be dealing with a serial killer.

The town that we're talking about in Marion County is relatively small. It's only about a thousand to 1,500 people and it's about a 90- minute drive north of Orlando. The Sheriff's office came out and said, look, we are not looking at any more possible victims. We're not looking for a serial killer here. In fact, we've identified the folks that we believe are responsible for this and we hope to make an arrest soon. Here now is what the sheriff told us earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF BILL WOODS, MARION COUNTY FLORIDA: Where we are is we're still working on a lot of leads that are coming in, going through a lot of digital and forensic evidence at this time. We do have some leads, good leads into a couple of suspects that hopefully will lead us to an arrest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUAREZ: All right. Erica and Bianna, the Sheriff's office tells me they are looking into the possibility that at least one of these teenagers may have been involved in some sort of gang activity and that the others were not aware of it.

GOLODRYGA: So tragic. Well, that must be reassuring for the community there that know - to know that arrest may be imminent now.

Carlos Suarez, thank you.

Well, former Vice President Mike Pence says he will not fight a subpoena to appeal before - to appear before the federal grand jury investigating Donald Trump's actions leading up to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. We'll talk about it with our legal analyst, Norm Eisen, up next.