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Biden Headed To Northern Ireland To Mark Accord Anniversary; Thousands Of Israeli Settlers March To Outpost In West Bank; Netanyahu Reverses Decision, Says Defense Minister To Stay In Post; Nashville City Council Reinstates One Ousted State Lawmaker; Employee Kills Five People At Louisville Bank, Eight Wounded; Pentagon Investigating Scope And Scale Of Document Leak. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 11, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM and I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead. Reinstated for now one of the Tennessee three expelled for protesting gun violence makes a dramatic return to the State House.

And Louisville to the growing list of U.S. cities left reeling from mass shootings. This time, a disgruntled worker shot up a bank with an assault rifle killing five.

Plus, the U.S. State Department is raising the stakes to try to free a Wall Street Journal reporter being held in Russia and accused of being a spy.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Two neighboring U.S. states are grappling with deadly mass shootings. The heartbreak and the political fallout. The latest carnage unfolded at a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky on Monday. An employee opened fire during a staff meeting before the bank open to the public killing at least five people. A law enforcement source says the 25-year-old gunman had been told he would be fired and live streamed the attack.

Afterwards, the U.S. President issued a statement on gun control asking how many more Americans must die before Republicans in Congress will act to protect our communities.

And in Tennessee, a lawmaker kicked out of the Statehouse for taking part in a gun reform protest on the chamber floor after a fatal school shooting in his community two weeks ago was just reinstated. The Nashville Metro Council voted to put Justin Jones back in office. The expulsion of Jones and another black Democrat Justin Pearson, from the Republican-dominated house has triggered major protests at the state capitol. There will be a vote on whether to reappoint Pearson on Wednesday. And CNN's Ryan Young has more now on the Tennessee vote.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: A lot of focus on the state of Tennessee and especially the city of Nashville. Nashville had a plan vote on Monday with their city council to see whether or not they could put Justin Jones back in his representative seat. Last week, of course, the Republican majority at the Statehouse in Tennessee, kicked out two of its members, Justin J. Pearson and Justin Jones.

Justin Jones case, he had the opportunity to go for the City Council. They reappointed him and that vote was dramatic. You could see it in his face. In fact, take a look at this video, as you see, Justin's exuberance of the crowd who was excited. They went from that moment and they marched to the state capitol.

On the Capitol steps, he was back to getting a read back in. He had a swearing in service right there on the steps. The crowd went crazy as he went back and defiantly address that state capitol assembly once again.

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STATE REP. JUSTIN JONES (D) TENNESSEE: Today we send a clear message to Speaker Cameron Sexton that the people will not allow his crimes against democracy to happen without challenge.

We are calling on House Speaker Cameron Sexton to resign as Speaker of the House.

He is an enemy of democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: The focus really shifted now to Justin J. Pearson. He says he's hoping Shelby County puts him back in office. That can happen on Wednesday. So, both members who were pushed out of their seats may get their seats back. There will have to be a special election. So, this is not over just yet. But both members said today we should be focused on what's going on in this country.

Especially when it comes to gun violence messing with the mass shooting that happened in Louisville. They're hoping that the country gets behind this and make some changes to some laws.

Ryan Young CNN, Nashville, Tennessee.

CHURCH: Joining me now from Nashville, Kyonzte Toombs who sits on the city's Metropolitan Council. Thank you so much for being with us.

Thank you.

CHURCH: So, in a speedy and unanimous vote by the Nashville Council Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones was reinstated after he and fellow Representative Justin Pearson were both expelled last week for holding a gun control protest on the House floor. So, what's your response to Jones's reinstatement first and what about Pearson?

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KYONZTE TOOMBS, METRO NASHVILLE CITY COUNCILWOMAN: Well, I'm thrilled about Representative Jones being restored to his seat. The constituents of district 52 elected him. They are his chose -- they -- he is their chosen representative. And so, he deserves to be restored to his seat. The protest that he staged on the House floor was just him speaking up for his constituents and getting into what Representative John Lewis would call good trouble.

And I think that when you feel like your constituents have been silenced, and that they're not being heard, then it's your duty as their elected officials to stand up for him. Representative Pearson, I'm hoping for the same result that the Memphis City Council will restore him to his seat because he's the elected representative of District 86. And he should be there as well, because all he was doing again, was representing his constituents and lifting up their voices.

CHURCH: Yes. And we saw three democratic state representatives up for expulsion last week. Two were expelled by Republicans, but one was not. Corey Johnson who survived her expulsion vote says she thinks that might have a lot to do with the color of her skin. Do you agree with that?

TOOMBS: I think the optics are clear. You have two African-American male representatives expelled and the older white representative -- female representative is not. You can't get past the racial undertones of that even, you know, in 2023. Given the history of this country, and of the state of Tennessee, it looks like it's very racial undertones there and I don't think you can get past it.

CHURCH: What did this political drama reveal to the nation about democracy in this country and racism do you think?

TOOMBS: Democracy is not dead. When the expulsions happen, I saw a lot of tweets and democracy is dead and people felt defeated and disillusioned and disenfranchised. And I think the vote today shows that democracy is not dead, that it lives, and that it sends a message to the country to the world, that we need to keep fighting to make sure that the voices of the people are not silence.

CHURCH: And what about racism in the country?

TOOMBS: I think that it shows that racism is not dead as well. And we all know that. You had your two African-American representatives expelled, and the older white female representative, not expelled. You can't get past those racial undertones. Even if there's not an intent to do something that is racist, it looks that way. So, you can't get past that. And it still shows that we have a lot of work to do in this country and in this world.

CHURCH: And all this started as a call from the three Democrats for common sense gun laws, in the wake of six lives being lost in a recent mass shooting in Nashville. But that message got overshadowed by the political drama. And now we have another mass shooting Monday. This time at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky. And we go through the same motions of horror with more lives lost and no political will, apparently, to bring about gun control legislation. What is your response to that?

TOOMBS: It's unfortunate that we can't come together to come up with common sense, gun legislation to protect our kids, protect our citizens from gun violence. That's not a partisan issue. It should be a bipartisan effort for us to all work together because we all want to be safe. We want to be to go to the bank, go to work, go to school, go to church and all those different places and not fear that we're going to end up dead.

CHURCH: Yes. Very strong words. Councilwoman Kyonzte Toombs. Thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

TOOMBS: Thank you.

CHURCH: The attack at the bank in Louisville mark the 145th mass shooting in the United States this year according to the Gun Violence Archive. A fifth victim died hours later. She has been identified as 57-year-old Deanna Eckert. CNN's Omar Jimenez picks up the story.

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JACQUELYN GWINN-VILLAROE, INTERIM CHIEF, LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE: Officers were on scene within three minutes. The suspect shot at officers we then returned fire and stop that threat.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Police revealing the shooter was an employee at the bank and had live streamed the attack.

GWINN-VOLLAROE: The suspect was live streaming. And unfortunately, that's tragic to know that that incident was out there and captured.

JIMENEZ: A law enforcement source telling CNN the shooter had also learned he was going to be fired and wrote a note to his parents and a friend indicating he was going to shoot at the bank.

Louisville's head of police solemnly reading the names of the victims at an afternoon press conference.

GWINN-VILLAROE: Tommy Elliot, 63 years of age. 64 years of age. Josh Barrett, 40 years of age, and Juliana Farmer.

JIMENEZ: Among those injured in the attack, two police officers including a rookie cop just days into the job.

GWIN-VILLAROE: The officer who was in critical condition today, officer Nicholas Wilt. 26 years of age.

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just graduated from the police academy on March 31st. I just wore him in and his family was there to witness his journey to become a police officer. He was struck in the head.

JIMENEZ: That officer, out of surgery in critical but in stable condition. The shock of the attack also felt at the highest levels of the state's government. One of the victims known to the mayor and governor.

CRAIG GREENBERG, MAYOR, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: One of them was Tommy Elliott, a very good friend of mine of the governors.

Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career. Helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad. He was an incredible friend.

JIMENEZ: Officials say the gunman used an A.R.-15 style rifle and the attack. Investigators are still trying to establish the motive. As the governor paid tribute to those lost today.

GREENBERG: To honor those that have fallen and as so many families grieve, I'm ordering our flags statewide fly at half-staff until Friday.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, Louisville, Kentucky.

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CHURCH: Now to new developments and a new deadline in a closely watched medication abortion case in the United States. A federal appeals court says plaintiffs must respond by Tuesday night to requests by the Justice Department and an abortion pill manufacturer. They're asking the court to freeze a judge's order to suspend the Food and Drug Administration's approval of a widely used abortion pill.

That order could make the pill unavailable nationwide starting Friday at midnight. California, Massachusetts and Washington State all led by Democratic governors have announced they have secured emergency stockpiles of the abortion pills.

The U.S. Defense Department is in full on damage control mode working to determine the scope and scale of a classified documents leak that has implications around the globe. U.S. diplomats are reaching out to reassure allies after the documents were posted online. Some of them revealed top secret information about U.S. surveillance of close partners including Israel and South Korea claims that Washington was spying on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as sensitive intelligence about the war in Ukraine.

Dozens of the leaked documents were still posted on Twitter as late as Monday.

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JOHN KIRBY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS: We don't know who's behind this. We don't know what the motive is. And I think I can't remember who asked before, but we don't know what else might be out there.

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CHURCH: Let's get reaction now from South Korea. CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us live this hour. So, Paula, what more are you learning about reaction from Seoul to the Pentagon leaks?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, when it comes to South Korea, there has been a fair bit of reaction now. This is related to the documents, suggesting that there were internal conversations between senior South Korean officials about a potential deal to sell ammunition from South Korea to the United States. Now this potential deal was -- it was understood a concern to South Korean officials according to these documents, suggesting that they were worried the U.S. would put pressure on South Korea to give this ammunition directly to the Ukraine.

Now, South Korea has this long-standing policy of not selling or giving lethal aid to countries at war. And this is really what this revolves around. The worry that when South Korea sold the ammunition to the U.S. that it would then be passed on to the Ukraine. But what we have heard from the presidential office and that's really where much of the reaction has come from, they are claiming that there are -- there is considerable amount of the information is "fabricated."

Now, it's a fairly vague statement from the presidential office. We have asked for clarification as to which part they believe may be fabricated. But there's no clarification at this point. Also pointing out that there was a phone call this morning between the Secretary of Defense of the United States Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart, the South Korean side saying that Lloyd Austin had asked for that call to try and clarify some of the media coverage of these potential Pentagon leaks.

And then we also heard from the South Korean side that they believe that the ministers agreed that parts of this was fabricated. We don't have a statement at this point from the Pentagon. They don't have a readout of the call itself. We have reached out to hear what that side of the story is.

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But we have been hearing from U.S. officials that they believe that some of these documents are authentic and one U.S. official telling CNN they look real. So, really what we're hearing from the South Korean side is that they are trying to -- in their way of this damage control suggests that some of these documents are in fact, not real. Although not clarifying which in particular. It does come at a tricky time for the South Koreans.

We're just two weeks away from President Yoon Suk Yeol traveling to Washington and having a steak dinner with U.S. President Joe Biden and also addressing Congress. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Paula Hancocks joining us live from Seoul. Appreciate it. Ukraine accuses Russia of scorched earth tactics in Bakhmut. Ahead, we will hear directly from people who escaped the city. Plus, the U.S. State Department takes a significant step and the effort to bring back a detained American reporter from Russia. That in just a moment.

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CHURCH: A Ukrainian commander is accusing Russia of switching to so- called Syrian scorched earth tactics in Bakhmut. Destroying buildings and defensive positions with airstrikes and artillery fire. The Ukrainian military also says dozens of Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine have been repelled since Sunday. And a Russian helicopter and six drones have been shot down.

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Meanwhile, residents from Bakhmut are taking shelter in the nearby town of Chasiv Yar. CNN's Ben Wedeman met with some evacuees who shared stories of tragedy and survival.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTENATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is the safest way out of Bakhmut but not really safe at all. Video obtained by CNN of the view from a Ukrainian armored vehicle shows the wasteland, the city has become. And it was in a vehicle like this that Marina and Yavhania (ph) escaped from Bakhmut. Their building was hit in a bombardment last Thursday, killing three.

Among them, Yavhania's 33-year-old grandson.

I had to help him, she recalls. But I couldn't do anything.

They waited in their ruined homes with the dead for three days before the army could rescue them. Marina's daughter was married to Yavhania's grandson.

What would I tell my daughter? Cries Marina. She and my grandchildren are in Poland.

The shelter and nearby Chasiv Yar provides them some comfort and warmth, but they're still not out of danger.

This town is well within range of Russian guns. And since the Battle for Bakhmut began seven months ago, it has regularly come under shelling.

On this day, the Russians were firing incendiary munitions over the city. Designed to cause fires. One resident showed us a spent capsule from the rocket.

WEDEMAN (on camera): Officials say there are perhaps 1000 civilians left and Chasiv Yar. Evacuations are possible but they don't seem to be many takers.

Alexander (ph) drags firewood home. There's no electricity or running water here. He fled to Chasiv Yar from Sivers'k an hour from here where his home was destroyed. Is he leaving?

No, he replies. My wife died here. My parents are buried here. Serge Chaus (ph) heads the town's military administration.

Since last April, we've been trying to convince people to leave. Talking with them, reasoning with them, he tells me. But we can't make them leave.

Yet again, the old and infirm refuse to leave despite the danger.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Chasiv Yar, eastern Ukraine.

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CHURCH: The U.S. State Department has officially designated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as wrongfully detained by Russia.

The designation backs our previous assertions that the espionage charges against him are baseless. It also gives the Biden administration authority to explore options like a prisoner swap to free him. For more on this story, I'm joined now by Claire Sebastian live from London. Good morning to, Clare. So, what is the latest on this and what comes next?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Rosemary. This designation, which was expected Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said that in his eyes he believed that Evan Gershkovich was wrongly detained. It's -- it comes 12 days after he was arrested in Moscow. It's not a legal designation but it does, as you say, formalize that U.S. position that the espionage charges against Evan Gershkovich are baseless or in the words of the White House press secretary, ridiculous.

It means that in the eyes of the U.S. he is essentially a political hostage. His case now moves under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for hostage affairs. Two other wrongfully detained Americans in Russia. Brittney Griner, the U.S. basketball star and Trevor Reed were released in prisoner swaps last year there. As I say, we're also designated as wrongfully detained but another Paul Whelan also like Mr. Gershkovich accused of espionage is still serving a sentence in Russia.

There is however, a more immediate problem for Evan Gershkovich and that is that the U.S. as it has yet to be granted consular access to him which means that they're essentially having to take Russia's word for the fact that he is being treated fairly and humanely in Moscow's notoriously Lefortovo prison. Take a listen to a State Department spokesperson on that topic.

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VEDANT PATEL, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: We believe that it is a matter of human dignity to ensure that Mr. Gershkovich can meet with consular officers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you do? Do you have any recourse at all?

PATEL: We have a number of tools at our disposal mat to hold the Russian Federation accountable.

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SEBASTIAN: We don't know exactly what those tools are, Rosemary. The U.S. also says this is a violation of the International consular convention to which Russia is also a signatory -- in terms of next steps for Evan Gershkovich's case.

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His lawyers according to Russian state media have filed an appeal that will be heard in court next week. A week today, he failing any other development is scheduled to remain in Lefortovo prison in Moscow until May 29th. Russia will say that they need to see this play out in court before any diplomatic discussions can be had. But this new designation does certainly put the onus on those diplomatic discussions, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Clare Sebastian joining us live from London.

Up next. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Northern Ireland in the coming hours to commemorate an historic anniversary. Then he'll visit the Republic of Ireland to explore his family history and meet some distant relatives. We'll have a preview live from Belfast.

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CHURCH: U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Northern Ireland in the coming hours to mark 25 years since battling factions agreed to end their violence and set up a power sharing government. But despite the relative success of the Good Friday Agreement, some of the stresses and the violence remain.

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Masked Republican activists attack police in Derry on Monday as a march by the so-called New IRA the generated into vandalism. Following his visit, President Biden will then travel to the Republic of Ireland to explore his Irish ancestral roots. And CNN's Kevin Liptak is in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He joins us now live, good to see you, Kevin. So, talk to us about what's planned for the President during his overseas trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland and of course, the Republic of Ireland. And what's Joe Biden hoping to achieve on this visit?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Rosemary, it certainly is a sentimental trip for President Biden, of course. He's a proud Irish American, he references those Irish roots all the time quotes, Irish poets, and a lot of his speeches. And in fact, before this trip, the White House sent quite an extensive genealogy table dating back to 1803. Going back to President Biden's great, great, great grandparents, who eventually journey to the United States. But of course, this trip is about more than sentiment as well. It's timed around the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that a court that brought peace between the nationalists and the Unionists here in Northern Ireland. President Biden, of course, very eager to highlight the legacy of that agreement, which came about with some significant American investment, not just American investment, but democratic investment in the form of President Bill Clinton, and the Senator George Mitchell. And certainly, President Biden wants to underscore the importance of these kinds of agreements in world affairs. Particularly, at a moment when American involvement overseas is being questioned in the United States by some Republicans. This is sort of the different kind of diplomatic agreement that President Biden really does want to emphasize, and you'll hear him talk about that when he arrives in Belfast later today.

Now, the Good Friday Agreement is being tested somewhat certainly, the specter of violence has never entirely disappeared here in Northern Ireland. And you did see some of that yesterday at the March in Derry, some of the violence that you saw there, you also see a very significant security presence ahead of the President's arrival here in Belfast later today. Heavy police presence on the streets around the President's hotel. And so certainly that is something that the White House in the Northern Irish government is watching very closely.

You also see sort of the power sharing agreement that was part of the Good Friday Agreement that's been paralyzed for several months now over this dispute between the Brexit trade rules and so that is something that the President may want to talk about when he arrives here later today. He will only be here in Northern Ireland, though, for 24 hours before heading south to the Republic of Ireland later on Wednesday. Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right, thanks to Kevin Liptak, joining us live from Belfast. And still to come, tensions flare in the West Bank has thousands of Israeli settlers and even members of Benjamin Netanyahu his cabinet marched on abandoned settlements, the details just a moment.

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CHURCH: Simmering tensions in the Middle East, boiling over as clashes breakout between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent says more than 200 people were injured near the town of Beita, including 22 who were hit by rubber bullets. The Israeli defense forces say they responded to a riot where rocks were thrown at soldiers lightly injuring two. This clash happening as Israel's National Security Minister joined thousands of settlers in a marched or an abandoned Israeli outpost. The crowd called on Israel to legalize the outpost which is on land the Palestinians say they own. So, let's go live now to Jerusalem and journalist Elliot Gotkine, good to see you, Elliot. So, what is the latest in these clashes and of course, the Security Minister marching with settlers?

ELLIOT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Rosemary, the settlement of Evyatar, the settlers are now left from that area where they were yesterday. They still want to legalize it, but the current situation remains that it is not a legal settlement. I should note though, that it's not unprecedented for Israel to legalize previously illegal settler outposts. It's done so with nine illegal outposts earlier this year. Which it said was in retribution or in response to violent attacks by Palestinian militants against Israeli. So, that's not to say that this particular settlement of Evyatar will not be legalized at some point in the process began some time ago.

But for now, it remains an illegal outpost and the supporters of settlers, including settler ministers, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, the National Security Minister, will continue to try to promote the legalization of that settlement. The other big piece of news that we had on Monday was a news conference from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And I suppose there were four main reasons why he was giving this news conference, which is quite rare for him to do something. He gets plenty of statements on T.V. or addressing the nation but doesn't often take questions.

So, first of all, is really to show that his hands are still on the wheel, that Netanyahu is still in charge despite more than three months of massive protests in the country against his plans for judicial overhaul. The other is to show his supporters and also, his enemies, be there within Israel or militants in the Gaza strip in the West Bank or in Lebanon or Syria. That Israel is still able to defend itself and Israel will even go on the attack as and when it sees necessary in order to defend itself. He's also, of course, use the opportunity to effectively efficiently rescind his firing of his defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): There have been disputes between us even difficult disputes on certain subjects, but I have decided to leave these disputes behind us. Gallant remains in his post, and we will continue to work together for the safety of the citizens of Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOTKINE: And you'll recall Rosemary, that it was the firing of Gallant, the prompted mass protests. And finally persuaded Netanyahu to press the pause button on those plans for a judicial overhaul. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right, Elliot Gotkine, joining us live from Jerusalem, many thanks. I'm Rosemary Church. For our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is next. And for those of you here in North America, I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a moment. Do stay with us.

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