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Tucker Carlson Out At Fox News; CNN Parts Ways With Longtime Anchor Don Lemon; Thousands Of Foreign Nationals Evacuated From Sudan; Russia's Top Diplomat Chairs U.N. Security Council Session; Tennessee Three Lawmakers Discuss Gun Laws With Biden; Officer Who Shot Breonna Taylor Hired As Sheriff's Deputy. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 25, 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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[02:00:30]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM. Fox News stunner with legal problems mounting and major troubles with the truth. The network's top rated anchor Tucker Carlson is fired.

President Joe Biden appears to be finalizing his 2024 campaign plans hours ahead of an expected formal announcement. This as new polling shows most Americans don't want him or Donald Trump to run again.

Plus, both warring factions in Sudan agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire, but concerns remain about how long it will hold and how to get Americans and other expats at.

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

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Well, Fox News has severed ties with the host of its highest-rated primetime show in a stunning move that sending shockwaves throughout the world of media and politics. Tucker Carlson drew in conservative viewers with his right-wing rhetoric and conspiracy theories about COVID and the 2020 presidential election. Text messages that came to light during the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit showed Carlson disparaging senior Fox executives leading the Wall Street Journal to report and I'm quoting, "The company took issue with remarks Mr. Carlson made that were derogatory toward the network, people familiar with the matter said."

And here's CNN Senior Media Reporter Oliver Darcy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVER DARCY, CNN SENIOR MEDIA REPORTER: He was very critical to say to be bit generous to him about the people running Fox. And so, I think that may have played a role and there's also that pending lawsuit now from his ex-booker Abby Grossberg who alleged rampant sexism, anti-semitic behavior that was running wild on his show. And then he's also got this legal notice from Ray Epps who he made part of a central January 6 conspiracy theory during on his program.

And so, there's all this litigation that's got Carlson's name over it. And you have the Dominion lawsuit. And so, it seems that Fox at some point just said enough is enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now from Los Angeles. Civil rights attorney Areva Martin. Appreciate you being with us.

AREVA MARTIN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hey, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, big news Monday morning. Fox News abruptly forcing out controversial right-wing host Tucker Carlson one week after Fox News settled that massive defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for more than $787 million. So, why do you think Fox forced Carlson out so suddenly at this time, was it the mounting incriminating evidence against him all those text messages he said disparaging Fox leadership?

MARTIN: Well, Rosemary, it appears to be a combination of all of the above. What we do know is that Tucker Carlson was caught off guard that he was preparing for his show today. There are reports that he was working with his staff and had every intention of being on the air on Monday night so that whenever that decision was made, it clearly was not communicated to him.

You've identified that massive settlement involving Dominion Voting System where we learned about Tucker Carlson's disparaging remarks about management, about some of his co-workers, and about Donald Trump. He actually texted that he hated Donald Trump. We also know that there is this lawsuit alleging sexual harassment as well as racial discrimination against him and some members of his team.

And there's the ongoing litigation from other voting systems against Fox that will draw Tucker Carlson into them. But I think the biggest issue here and if you're Tucker Carlson, you probably say, wait a minute, Fox, I've made you millions, if not billions of dollars with my bombastic conspiracy theories and none of the conspiracy theories that he disseminated on air about the replacement theory and others of, you know, making disparaging remarks about African-Americans and Latinos.

None of that, apparently was a bridge too far. So, it's hard to know what exactly was the final straw for Fox because they tolerated so much. And not only tolerated, they have profited and benefited from his, you know, comments and his commentary in the way he's hosted his show.

[02:05:07]

CHURCH: And former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg filed two lawsuits against Fox alleging sexism and accusing the company of coercing her into giving misleading testimony under oath. How big of a role would these lawsuits have played in Carlson's sudden departure and what's his and Fox's legal Jeopardy here if he's no longer at the company? MARTIN: Well, if he is no longer at the company, he still will have to participate in the lawsuit. He could be subpoenaed to testify under oath to give deposition testimony, or he may have some personal responsibility. If Fox determines that he was in fact a liable that he acted outside the course of the scope of his employment, he could have some personal responsibility for damages if Miss Grossberg is successful with her lawsuit.

But I cannot imagine that that lawsuit alone was the catalyst for the termination of one of the biggest stars on Fox News. I'm believing based on all the reporting that it had to be a combination of things that perhaps it was those disparaging remarks about his boss. No boss likes to hear that an employee that they are paying a handsome salary, is making those kinds of comments about them. I'm just not convinced that is the lawsuit alone.

CHURCH: And as you've mentioned, Tucker Carlson supported and promoted Donald Trump's 2020 election lie on air. So, would you expect Fox to distance itself from that lie and of course the other conspiracies that he peddled on air? And what overall impact might Carlson's departure have on Fox News in its future viewership given many conservatives are pretty stunned by his firing. Aren't they?

MARTIN: I don't think it's going to have any impact on the way that Fox News delivers its programming. I think, just like when Bill O'Reilly left the network, everyone thought he was irreplaceable. And now we see Tucker Carlson being pushed out. I see someone replacing him that perhaps may be even more bombastic who may peddle and even more extreme conspiracy theories. This is the way that Fox News has built its empire.

This is the way that it makes its money. This is the way that it consistently draws more viewers than any other cable networks on air. And I have no reason to believe that it is or that somehow their business strategy changes simply because one of its players is no longer there. I think they find a replacement and they continue business as usual, which is peddling conspiracy theories pointing to a base that supports Donald Trump, continuing to make disparaging remarks about immigrants, about African-Americans, about Latinos, about gay people and about -- just about everyone else in this country in order to continue to draw the ratings that it does from those conservative viewers.

CHURCH: Areva Martin joining us live from Los Angeles. Many thanks as always. Appreciate it.

MARTIN: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, there was another major media move, a lot closer to home. CNN announced it was parting ways with anchor Don Lemon. He'd been with the network for 17 years, most recently as a co-anchor of CNN this morning. Lemon came under fire in February for saying that women are only considered to be in their prime in their 20s, 30s and maybe 40s. He later apologized for the remark and denied subsequent reports of misogyny aimed at female co-workers. Well, a new three-day ceasefire between Sudan's warring factions is currently in effect after previous failed attempts to stop the violence. The U.S. says it brokered the new deal and plans to help create a committee to try and implement a permanent truce. Before the agreement was announced, more clashes erupted around the capital Khartoum. Thick plumes of smoke was seen rising from charred buildings covering entire city blocks.

And that's just one of many places where fighting has been reported. Over the last 10 days the violence has left more than 400 people dead and countless others without basic needs like food, water and medicine.

The U.S. says the warring factions must restore calm immediately.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: WATTS: We also continue to engage directly with General Burhan and General Hemedti to press them to extend and expand the Eid ceasefire to a sustainable cessation of hostilities that prevents further violence and upholds humanitarian obligations. The Sudanese people are not giving up on their aspirations for a secure, free, and democratic future, neither will we.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Sudan's paramilitary forces say the new ceasefire will help with efforts to evacuate foreign nationals.

[02:10:07]

The U.S. is among many countries pulling out their diplomatic staff. But many private citizens are still stuck in Sudan. CNN's Sam Kiley reports.

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SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Relief for the few evacuated to safety. Misery for the many left behind. A multinational rescue effort involving Special Forces from across the world is underway with a focus on rescuing diplomats and their families from the horror of Sudan's new civil war.

BLINKEN: My first priority is the safety of our people. And I determined that the deteriorating security conditions in Khartoum poses an unacceptable risk to keeping our team there at this time.

KILEY: But an estimated 16,000 Americans, thousands of other foreigners and of course, countless Sudanese remain. They're engulfed in mayhem amid growing violence.

JOHN KIRBY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS: But quite frankly, the situation is not conducive and not safe to try to conduct some kind of a larger military evacuation of American citizens. KILEY: France has evacuated Around 500 people, the U.S. less than 100.

KILEY (on camera): So, you got WFP, MSF, ICRC.

KILEY (voice-over): Rescue missions use this modest airport as a military hub.

KILEY (on camera): Do you feel that you're at this kind of center of a storm here?

DAOUD ALI ABDOU, GENERAL MANAGER, DJIBOUTI CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY: Exactly. Yes, exactly. And we're proud -- we're proud of this, because we -- for the size for our airports, we can manage all the western countries, all the Asian countries and African countries, Djibouti became the center of the -- this world.

KILEY (voice-over): And mass evacuation by air of foreigners from Sudan like Muna Daoud's parents would be a gigantic operation of the sort scene in Kabul. But it's an unlikely prospect.

MUNA DAOUD, PARENTS STRANDED IN SUDAN: I wrote a letter to the White House. I don't know what more we can do because we simply just want to get them out. And it seems like there's simply no communication, no care or whatsoever given to anybody. Any Americans, Sudanese citizens currently in Sudan.

KILEY: With prisons emptying and violence spreading, there's no immediate prospect of rescue, much less of peace.

Sam Kiley, CNN in Djibouti.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And the U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has just tweeted this, saying that the U.K. Government is coordinating an evacuation of British nationals from Sudan. So, we'll keep a very close eye on all of those efforts to get people out.

All right. Coming up next, Washington's worst kept secret could finally be revealed with all signs pointing toward Joe Biden announcing another run for president.

Plus, a Georgia District Attorney sets a timetable for announcing possible charges in the state's 2020 presidential election probe. We'll have the details just ahead.

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[02:16:46]

CHURCH: U.S. President Joe Biden has all been officially announced his bid to run for a second term in 2024. But that could change in the coming hours with the president expected to mark the anniversary of his first campaign announcement with a new one. The announcement could go either way with the American people. According to recent polling, slightly less than half of Democrats want him to run again. Joining me now from Los Angeles is Michael Genovese. He is a political analyst and president of the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University. Always a pleasure to have you with us.

MICHAEL GENOVESE, PRESIDENT, GLOBAL POLICY INSTITUTE AT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, President Biden is poised to announce his reelection campaign in the coming hours. But most polls suggest a pretty tough road ahead with the majority of Democrats unenthusiastic about him running again and particularly worried about his age. But at the same time, many say he is the only viable option on the Democratic side. So, how difficult will Joe Biden's campaign likely be in a rematch with Donald Trump or in a less likely matchup with Ron DeSantis?

GENOVESE: Well, I think at this stage of the game, Joe Biden is in pretty good shape. Although he is not popular nationally and the majority of his own party don't want him to run. He is however, in the good position that no one within the party is challenging him. You would expect a president with that kind of low popularity rating to be vulnerable within his own party. And in the past, when an incumbent president has been challenged within his own party, it's always built electoral trouble.

For example, in 1976, Ronald Reagan challenged President Ford, Ford lost. Two years later, Ted -- a few years later, Ted Kennedy challenged Jimmy Carter, he lost. And in '92, President George H.W. Bush was challenged by Pat Buchanan and he lost because an internal battle (INAUDIBLE) up, and it also takes time, effort and money. And so, Biden has escaped that and therefore I think he's in a pretty good position considering his low popularity rankings.

CHURCH: And in a recent NBC News poll, it found that 60 percent of Americans don't want Donald Trump to run again either, while 35 percent said they did. And his main rival, Ron DeSantis is currently on a world tour with a stop in Israel to help boost his stocks ahead of announcing a run against Trump. Because even though the former president's numbers don't look that great, they are currently better than the Florida governor's approval ratings. So, where's all this going to think?

GENOVESE: Think back just a few years. And the last presidential election the candidates were all unpopular. Think of 2016, Donald Trump versus Hillary Clinton, two very unpopular candidates. 2020 much as the same thing. The terrible news is that we've become accustomed to having candidates we're unsatisfied with. And so yes, Joe Biden is in trouble, but so is Donald Trump. So as Ron DeSantis, so as any likely Republican or possible Republican.

[02:20:05]

And so, there's something really wrong with the party system that keeps producing candidate that we just don't like.

CHURCH: It is problematic, isn't it? So, in that situation with Trump and DeSantis, do you think that Trump will stay ahead of DeSantis or is it just impossible to tell at this juncture?

GENOVESE: Well, you know, DeSantis has been shooting himself in the foot. He recently made a statement about Ukraine, saying that it was a territorial dispute, got resound and criticized for that. He's been having trouble trying to fight Disney in his own state. And the people are making jokes about how you can even handle Mickey Mouse, how you're going to handle Putin. So, DeSantis has gotten off to a terrible, terrible start.

So bad that he may be reconsidering whether he wants to run or not. Maybe he wants to just bail out now and say, I'll do it in four years. I'm still young, I have a lot ahead of me. It looks like my moment, maybe it's not. So, I think DeSantis has got to make some really tough decisions. Donald Trump is in and he's in 100 percent until the end. And so, Donald Trump will plow ahead.

There is no one in the Republican Party that seems at this point capable of challenging him and giving him a good race, though.

CHURCH: Meantime, of course, the debt ceiling deadline, fast approaches with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy facing perhaps his biggest test so far this week trying to get Republicans to approve his version of a debt ceiling plan. What happens if he can't pull that off? And perhaps more importantly, what are the consequences if Republicans don't lift the debt limit in time, and this country goes into default?

The Democrats and the Republicans continually lift the debt ceiling year after year after year, whether it's a Democrat or Republican in the White House. It was done three times for Donald Trump. And so, it ought not to be a very controversial or difficult decision to make. The problem is that since Newt Gingrich, who believed that in order to save the government, you had to destroy it so that they could take over.

The Republicans have made a battle clan out of the debt ceiling. And so, every time it gets to this point and the Republicans challenge the Democratic president, they shut down and government, causes economic chaos, and they get electorally punished at the ballot box. And so, it makes no sense for the Republicans to do this. They should just pass a bill -- pass an approval of it. move on. This is a no-win situation for the Republicans. In fact, it will probably hurt them dramatically.

CHURCH: All right. We'll all be watching to see what happens this week. Michael Genovese, always a pleasure to have you with us. Thank you.

GENOVESE: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: The Fulton County District Attorney investigating Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia says she will announce this summer whether she'll bring charges against the former president or his allies. Fani Willis is already urging local law enforcement to prepare pressing the Fulton County Sheriff for heightened security ahead of the announcement.

CNN's Katelyn Polantz has details now from Washington.

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: The prosecutor in Georgia that has been investigating Donald Trump and the actions, he and others took after the 2020 election now has a timeframe for announcing potential charges. Charging decisions, possible indictments, even against potentially Donald Trump himself for those actions. Now, the reason we are learning this is because District Attorney Fani Willis sent letters to several members of local law enforcement in Georgia, essentially alerting them that they may have a security concern that is coming in what is called the court's fourth quarter in Fulton County, Georgia.

That would be specifically July 11th to September 1st of this year. So that's when those indictments could be announced. Willis writes in her letter. I am providing this letter to bring to your attention the need for heightened security and preparedness in coming months due to this pending announcement. She specifically talks about the criminal investigation into interference in the Georgia 2020 general election.

She also writes. Open Source Intelligence has indicated the announcement of decisions in this case may provoke a significant public reaction. And then she signals that there are acts of violence that have taken place that would be outside First Amendment protesters that would be protected speech. Remember, Donald Trump, the things that he is being investigated for doing did ultimately lead to that violence at the U.S. Capitol in January of 2021.

The riot whenever his supporters tried to overtake Congress and stop the certification of the presidency, his loss of that election. And so, Fani Willis is signaling that that is all part of the thinking here and also, she's taking into consideration the need for security around that courthouse, especially after Donald Trump already was indicted once for totally separate behavior related to hush money payments in New York.

[02:25:06]

The allegations there caused him to say he was expecting to be arrested and then calling for protests. And so, we do know that there was a lot of law enforcement coordination before that, locking down that courthouse and Willis is clearly signaling to local law enforcement that they will need to be ready in summer and into the early fall of this year. Again, we don't know exactly what is going to be indicted. But it is quite clear that charges are on the near horizon. Katelyn Polantz, CNN, Washington.

CHURCH: Russia and Western powers trade insults during a contentious session of the U.N. Security Council that was supposed to focus on piece. The warnings and takeaways next.

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CHURCH: On Monday, Russia's Foreign Minister led a U.N. Security Council meeting ironically titled Maintenance of International Peace and Security.

[02:30:00]

But instead of trying to further peace or security Sergey Lavrov made this dire warning in his opening remarks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): As during the Cold War, we have reached the dangerous, possibly even more dangerous threshold. The situation has worsened with the loss of trust and multilateralism. Let's call a spade, a spade. Nobody allowed the Western minority to speak on behalf of all of humankind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Lavrov is presiding over the meeting because Russia currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council. Ukraine's top diplomat has called that quote, the worst joke ever. On meantime homes, schools, commercial buildings, infrastructure, all are being reduced to rubble around the besieged Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister calls Russia's military assaults Syria tactics. The military says Russia has mounted almost 50 airstrikes in the region in the past day. And more than 30 ground assaults which were repelled, but they still did damage north of Bakhmut, a Russian missile slammed into a school in Kramatorsk, leaving a gigantic crater.

Ukraine says Russia's focus in the region appears to have shifted slightly, but Bakhmut and the surrounding towns are still getting hit hardest, but Ukrainian forces say they are holding their ground. Well, in the South, it's eerily quiet with speculation growing about a possible upcoming Ukrainian counter offensive. It would likely be focused around Zaporizhzhia, where a Ukrainian push to the Sea of Azov could divide Russian forces and cut off Russia's land access to Crimea. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, his in Zaporizhzhia and has this report.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Now, one Russian official in occupied parts of Ukraine has suggested not saying what evidence he has, that there may be 10,000 Ukrainian troops and massing around the Southern town of Melitopol not far from where I'm standing. That's essentially on the front lines between Ukrainian held territory and Russian held territory and an important frontline to because most analysts think that if Ukraine is to attain this strategic success, it clearly needs during this long-heralded counter offensive in the spring and summer.

It essentially needs to try and cut off the Crimean Peninsula held by Russia since 2014, occupied by them since then, for the rest of occupied Ukraine and the Russian mainland to that could be a significant blow to the Kremlin's plans for Ukraine. Now, we don't know exactly how far advanced Ukraine's military maneuvers are here. And there are some restrictions as to what we are allowed to tell you without ramifications. But at the same time, it's important to point out that we've also heard Ukrainian officials suggesting a reallocation of Russian troops. One official suggesting that perhaps they've moved in greater number towards the coast of the Azov Sea, out on the outskirts of the town of Melitopol, a key place that Ukraine is going to have to recapture if indeed, it has success, success in this counter offensive. And growing suggestions, information from various pro-Russian sources of increased shelling, along parts of the West of occupied areas of Kherson that Russia controls. And also, along the frontline in Zaporizhzhia too.

So, a lot of suggestions that things may be afoot, very little conclusive evidence that territory is permanently changed hands, but above all, enormous expectations. I think from the Western backers and armors of Kyiv and Ukraine that they will be able to affect some sort of strategic change in this forthcoming summer, because frankly, the Unity we're seeing from Ukraine's Western backers is something they can't guarantee on seeing a year from now. So, a lot of pressure for results, but quite as these begin to occur, whatever it is we'll see, exceptionally hard at the moment. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.

CHURCH: Coming up, Republicans tried to kick them out of the Tennessee State House but failed. And now, these three Democrats have the ear of the U.S. President. Will explain.

[02:35:00]

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CHURCH: One person has been killed in a shooting at Rose State College in Oklahoma. The suspect is now in custody. Police say the two were acquainted through a domestic situation. The community college went into lockdown during the incident. Well, three Tennessee Democrats who loudly demanded stronger gun controls after a deadly school shooting and were punished for that protests back home have been praised in Washington. The so-called Tennessee three were invited to the White House on Monday to discuss gun laws with the U.S. President.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What the Republican legislature did was shocking. It was undemocratic and it was -- without any precedent, but you turn it around very quickly. Nothing is guaranteed by Democracy every generation has to fight for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.

BIDEN: And you are notice that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Two of the three Tennessee lawmakers who are black were expelled from the Statehouse for their act of protest. They were later reappointed on an interim basis by their districts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN JONES, TENNESSEE STATE DEMOCRAT: As I was sitting in the Oval Office, I saw the bus of Dr. King I saw the bus of Rosa Parks and saw the bus -- I see the Chavez and what they did, all those people did is they acted outside of the political paradigm of what was possible, and they changed political realities. And that's what we talked about was I made a direct eye to the President sometimes want to do something outside of the ordinary. As John Lewis said, when he sat on the floor of Congress as we did, we went to the well of the Tennessee State House and demanded action on guns. And so, we are going to continue to push and lift up the creative tension needed to get action on this item.

[02:40:07]

JUSTIN PEARSON, TENNESSEE STATE DEMOCRAT: And as you all know, in the state of Tennessee, there's an effort by the Governor to call a special session which we completely support to really address the issue of gun violence or gun violence reform. A couple of other really important things is the framing of this conversation. We started this movement really was catalyzed in Tennessee because of a tragedy at the Covenant school. And what's happening now in the conversation that many people Republicans and Democrats are realizing is it is a moral issue, it is about our children, it is about our schools in not turning them into war zones. But it's also, ended is also about communities that are experiencing gun violence every single day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The horrifying shooting at a Nashville School last month killed three nine-year-olds, and three adults. 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.

[02:45:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Well, the former Minnesota Police Officer convicted in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, has been released from prison. Kimberly Potter served 16 months of a two-year sentence. She was convicted of two counts of manslaughter after saying, she mistook her gun for her taser when she killed Wright, who was unarmed during a 2021 traffic stop. Daunte Wright's mother tell CNN she's still angry but finds peace in the fact that Potter quote will never be able to hurt anybody as a police officer, again.

Well, the former Louisville Police Officer who fired the bullet that killed Breonna Taylor, during a botched drug raid has a new job as a deputy sheriff. Myles Cosgrove has been hired by a sheriff's department in a small rural county of Kentucky. And CNN's Jason Carroll reports, Taylor's mother is furious that Cosgrove will wear a badge again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENTL: Breonna Taylor's mother had one word to describe how she felt after learning former Louisville Metro Police Officer Myles Cosgrove had been rehired by another department.

TAMIKA PALMER, BREONNA TAYLOR'S MOTHER: Anger to think that another department would even want this guy to be a part of any department for that matter just angers me.

CARROLL (voiceover): According to a CNN affiliate the Carroll County Sheriff's Department cited Cosgrove's experience as the reason behind the hire. His attorney confirmed the former LMPD officer recently started with the sheriff's department.

SCOTT MILLER, LAWYER OF MYLES COSGROVE: On behalf of Myles and myself, we don't want anything to take away or diminish the value of the tragedy that happened to Breonna Taylor and her family. We're not minimizing that at all. But he definitely has had a hard road to go and getting back to trying to figure out a way to support his family in the future.

CARROLL (voiceover): Cosgrove was one of three LMPD officers who fired their weapons during a raid on Breonna Taylor's apartment, the night of March 13th, 2020. Cosgrove fired more than a dozen times, including the fatal bullet that killed Taylor. The Louisville Metro Police Department fired him in January of 2021, for failing to use his body camera and violating the Department's use of force rules.

MYLES COSGROVE, LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE OFFICER: I started shooting as soon as I saw the flash almost simultaneously.

CARROLL (voiceover): During a department hearing to appeal his firing Cosgrove expressed remorse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you regret that Breonna Taylor ended up being shot and killed?

COSGROVE: Of course. Of course, I -- it's horrible.

CARROLL (voiceover): The department's merit board upheld his dismissal. Despite that, the Carroll County Sheriff's Department decided to hire Cosgrove. His attorney notes four other officers in the raid face federal charges in connection with that raid, three accused of lying in order to obtain a search warrant. One former LMPD officer Kelly Goodlett admitted in federal court that she and another officer had falsified information in the warrant that was used to justify the raid on Taylor's apartment. U.S Attorney Merrick Garland says had it not been for that faulty Breonna Taylor would be alive today. Cosgrove's attorney reminded those who oppose his client being hired that he has not been charged with any crime.

MILLER: There was a grand jury that's made at State of Kentucky, that cleared him of any wrongdoing. A federal grand jury was convened and also, determined that there were other people who wanted to be charged criminally but not Myles.

PALMER: Is this good all boy's system? Like, so, I'm not surprised at all. CARROLL (voiceover): Those seeking justice for Breonna Taylor's say Cosgrove getting a badge back is a danger to the new community he is serving.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The people of Carroll County should be very afraid and should not let this higher stand.

PALMER: You don't know what to trust anymore or who to trust. It's insane to me.

CARROLL (voiceover): Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The massive winter snows snowfall in the Upper Midwest of the United States, which broke records in some places is now starting to melt. And that's pushing rivers past their flood stages in several states. Flood warnings are in effect across a number of rivers in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Most of the flooding is affecting rural areas along the Mississippi River. The floodwaters will keep moving south this week, pushing some areas to near record flood levels.

[02:50:19]

Joining me now from La Crosse in Wisconsin is Molly Peters. She is the lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service. Thank you so much for being with us.

MOLLY PETERS, LEAD METEOROLOGIST, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: Yes, my pleasure.

CHURCH: So, the Mississippi River is expected to crest this week in the Midwest with preparations currently underway. How bad do you think this could get?

PETERS: The levels this year have been compared to what we saw back in 2001. For many of the locations along the Mississippi River, it could be the fourth highest record, flood on record. And other locations it could be even the top third, or even the top second highest record on flood.

CHURCH: That is just incredible. So, if that happens, how long would you expect those levels to remain that high and which areas will be impacted the most do you think?

PETERS: Right now, we are for how long, the rivers will be in flood we are currently watching system coming at the end of this week for any additional precipitation to hit the region. This additional precipitation is not anticipated to amplify the crest height, but it could extend the duration of how long the river will be in flood.

CHURCH: And what advice would you give residents in those areas most at risk? What do they need to be doing right now?

PETERS: I would advise the residents to listen to local emergency officials. If there are roads that have been barricaded or blocked off, to not drive around those barricades, and to never crossroads that are flooded. If you feel like you are in an unsafe position, remove yourself from that location and try and get into a safe place with these floods along the Mississippi River during the spring melt. They are -- it is slower, and we can see things coming. So, preparations have been made to close these roads. So, if you do come across barricaded roads just don't drive around the barricades.

CHURCH: So, what point do you think residents need to evacuate?

PETERS: All of this will come from the local emergency management officials. So, pay attention to announcements that do come from the local emergency management officials. And you can also pay attention to the local official flood forecasts that we issue here at the National Weather Service.

CHURCH: All right, Molly Peters, thank you so much for talking with us, appreciate it. North Dakota's Republican Governor has signed a bill banning abortions at six weeks of pregnancy. The governor's office says there are no exceptions for rape or incest. In a statement to CNN, the Governor says, the bill clarifies and refines existing law, and reaffirms North Dakota as a prolife state. The bill has an emergency clause and will become law as soon as the Secretary of State's signs and files it. Well, police have arrested seven people during a protest in the Montana State Legislature in support of a lawmaker and trans rights activist. Republicans criticized Zooey Zephyr, last week for what they called inappropriate language during a debate of a medical care for transgender miners. On Monday they voted to censure her.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Click record the vote.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chair of 63 Representatives voted aye, 34 voted no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really, a speaker has been upheld.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guests will come to order. Our guests will come to order. Our guests will come to order. Sergeant of arms will you please clear the gallery. Members, will you please go to the side of the chambers. Members, please go to the side of the chambers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Zephyr claims she is not being allowed to speak in the legislature and has been denied the right to represent her constituents. Republicans called Monday's protest a riot. All seven people were released without bond. In the coming hours, opening statements are expected to begin and a copyright infringement case against Popstar Ed Sheeran.

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The jury was selected on Monday in New York. The singer is being sued by heirs of songwriter Ed Townsend. They claim Sheeran's hit song Thinking Out Loud copies the 1973 hit Let's Get It On, by Marvin Gaye. However, Sheeran's lawyers have argued that the alleged similarities are actually not similar. The Popstar is expected to testify in the trial. And thanks so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church, I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a moment. Hope you can stick around.

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