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CNN International: Texas Attorney General to Face Impeachment Trial; Zelenskyy Visits Ukraine's Frontline Fighters After Defense Ministry Shakeup; Delhi Neighborhood Uprooted Before World Leaders Arrive; Southeast Asian Leaders Meet in Jakarta for Summit. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired September 05, 2023 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Bianca Nobilo.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Max Foster. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with the top stories this hour.

U.S. First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID. The White House says she's currently experiencing only mild symptoms. President Joe Biden has tested negative for the virus and there are no changes to his schedule at this time.

A U.S. government official says Kim Jong Un may meet with Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential arms deal. "The New York Times" says it could happen this month.

NOBILO: In the day ahead, the Texas Senate is expected to begin the impeachment trial of the State's Attorney General. Ken Paxton faces twenty articles of impeachment over allegations he abused his power to help a donor, CNN's Ed Lavandera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just days before the start of his impeachment trial, Ken Paxton showed up at a rally to kick off his wife's state senate reelection campaign.

STATE SEN. ANGELA PAXTON (R-TX): Please welcome to the stage, my husband, the love of my life, my best friend, Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The suspended Republican attorney general was impeached on 20 articles, including charges of retaliating against whistleblowers, abuse of power and bribery, as well as misconduct involving an alleged affair. Paxton used this moment to pound the theme that he is the victim of a political witch hunt.

KEN PAXTON (R), TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Actually, if you kind of kept up, I -- you can read that I'm responsible for JFK assassination and for 9/11 and everything in between. LAVANDERA (voice-over): Paxton's impeachment trial begins Tuesday in the Texas state senate, and it features some of the highest profile and unique legal characters in the state. Paxton is represented by Dan Cogdell and Tony Buzbee. They've described the impeachment of Paxton as a drive-by shooting.

TONY BUZBEE, ATTORNEY FOR KEN PAXTON: This was a sham. It was a sham from the get-go.

DAN COGDELL, ATTORNEY FOR KEN PAXTON: To say this case is not about politics has the credibility, the believability, and the sincerity of the fellow that's trying to convince his wife that he'd go to strip joints for the food. It's not about the naked women, sweetheart. It's about the food -- nonsense. It's definitionally political. Nonsense.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Prosecuting the case against Paxton are the legendary Rusty Hardin and Dick DeGuerin. For decades they've worked the biggest cases in the state. A few months ago when Paxton's lawyers ripped the impeachment process, CNN asked Rusty Hardin to comment, and he referred us to this classic scene from the 1992 Joe Pesci courtroom comedy, "My Cousin Vinny."

JOE PESCI, ACTOR MY COUSIN VINNY: Everything that guy just said is (BLEEP).

LAVANDERA (voice-over): But the political stakes are sky-high. In May, Paxton was overwhelmingly impeached by Texas House Republicans, 121 to 23. And Paxton is vowing political retribution against those Republicans who voted against him.

K. PAXTON: Let's clean house.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): There are 31 state senators, one of them is Angela Paxton, the attorney general's wife, but she will not be allowed to vote on her husband's impeachment. There are 12 Democrats in the Senate, and prosecutors need 21 votes to remove Paxton from office. The question is whether nine Republicans will vote against Paxton.

Veteran Republican political strategist Brendan Steinhauser says, it's not clear how this trial will play out.

BRENDAN STEINHAUSER, REPUBLICAN POLITICAL STRATEGIST: There's a lot of political pressure coming from all sides. This is unprecedented. So they're trying to do their constitutional duty. They are trying to do legally, morally, ethically right thing. They do not know that is yet until they dive into it and see the evidence.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Paxton has enjoyed support from Donald Trump and among Republican voters.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's a great man.

LAVANDERA: Steinhauser says Paxton is benefiting from Trump's attacks that the justice system is weaponized against politicians like them. STEINHAUSER: That alignment is important for Paxton, because it helps him, it gives him some political support amongst the grassroots voters and activists in the Republican Party of Texas. And it makes it more difficult for state senators and state representatives to impeach and then convict him.

[04:35:00]

LAVANDERA: When the impeachment proceedings begin on Tuesday, there is a chance that the majority of the articles of impeachment could be dismissed by a simple majority vote in the Texas Senate. But it's not clear if that's going to happen. If the impeachment trial moves forward, it's expected to last several weeks. Ken Paxton's lawyers say the suspended Attorney General will not testify, but impeachment managers insist that they will call him to testify at some point.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Austin, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: In the hours ahead, the sentencing hearing will resume for another leader of the far-right, Proud Boys. Enrique Tarrio, the group's former chairman, was convicted of serial -- seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, and for his efforts to stop Joe Biden from becoming president. Prosecutors want him sentenced to 33 years behind bars.

NOBILO: And that would be the most severe penalty yet in the prosecution of the Capitol rioters. Tarrio and other Proud Boys have also been convicted of aiding and abetting destruction of government property and obstruction of an official proceeding.

Police in Pennsylvania are broadcasting a message in Portuguese from an escaped inmate's mother, urging him to surrender. Danelo Cavalcante has been on the run since Thursday. He was sentenced to life without parole last week for the 2021 stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend.

FOSTER: Authorities say the 34-year-old fugitive is extremely dangerous. They've had several confirmed sightings of him within a few miles of the prison in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement continue to comb nearby neighbor. Investigators say they're convinced they're closing in on him.

NOBILO: And you have to see this next video to believe it. Dozens of young people enjoying the Labor Day sunshine on a pier in Madison, WI suddenly found themselves in the water.

FOSTER: The pier belongs to the University of Wisconsin. The fire department says 60 to 80 people were on the pier when it collapsed. Six people were injured. The pier was supposed to be removed for the season on Tuesday.

Now things were more serious outside of Houston. A car crashed into Denny's at Denny's restaurant, injuring more than 20 people.

NOBILO: The 30-year-old driver of the Jeep was not injured. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. None of the injuries are thought to be life threatening.

Coming up on the program, Ukraine's president is hoping to put a skilled negotiator and anti-corruption activist at the head of the Defense Ministry. We'll talk about the latest government shake up and the effect that it might have on the war.

FOSTER: Plus, the ASEAN Summit kicks off in Indonesia amid riffs between member nations. Can the bloc unite to achieve some key regional goals? A live report just ahead.

[04:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: Ukraine's president is visiting troops on the frontlines of the counteroffensive, projecting stability as he makes a major leadership shake up in Kyiv. On Monday, Volodymir Zelenskyy travelled to the regions of Zaporizhia and Donetsk. He says it's important to speak to the fighters to hear what support they need and to find out what needs changing. And big changes are already underway.

FOSTER: After Mr. Zelenskyy dismissed Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov at a critical time in the counteroffensive, with Ukrainian troops fighting off daily Russian attacks. Salma has been looking at those attacks. Still making progress slowly, presumably.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, if you ask Ukraine's military officials though, they're going to say that they're in a new phase. They've been able to fierce -- pierce through rather, the first line of Russian defensive positions. These are believed to be among the, if not the most heavily fortified Russian positions. I mean, you're talking about deeply entrenched land mines that they had to inch by inch through engineering work and other work try to demine to get towards South of Zaporizhia. Of course is where we're speaking of towards the Black Sea coast. Very, very far from that still.

But what we had seen during the course of this counteroffensive so far -- and it's been at least publicly ongoing for three months -- is really shaping operations, softening of targets. This seems to sort of be the tip of the spear here, as Ukrainian forces try to achieve that larger goal of cutting off supply lines to Russia by reaching that Black Sea Coast again. We are very far from that, and I emphasize this is the first line of Russian defensive positions in one area along those huge frontlines.

But President Zelinsky was on hand to boost the morale there. Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (voice-over): It is extremely important to support our soldiers. To talk to the brigade commanders and battalion commanders. It is very, very useful to hear from those who go into battle directly. What exactly is lacking? What is already sufficient and what needs to be changed?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Now Russian -- Ukrainian military leadership rather -- will tell you the keyword now is consolidate, consolidate, consolidate. They are trying to expand and deepen the gains that they have been able to make to the South. The clock is ticking. This is a summer offensive. Of course, we are reaching the fall when weather conditions will be more difficult. And that pressure from the West, from the allies who are providing billions of dollars of aid, is absolutely growing.

FOSTER: OK, Salma, thank you so much for bringing us that update.

NOBILO: When leaders of the world's largest economies meet for the G20 summit in New Delhi later on this week, they'll arrive to a neighborhood uprooted just for them.

FOSTER: The houses of thousands of poor families that stood near the summit site are being demolished. Replaced by ornate fountains and leafy green plants. CNN's Vedika Sud spoke to some of those who've been forcibly displaced.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VEDIKA SUD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A bulldozer tears down Savita's home in Delhi. Helpless and distraught, she looks on, recording on a mobile.

Her daughter is just off-camera, try comforting her. Stop crying mother, or you will fall sick, they say.

Savita is just one of tens of thousands who have been rendered homeless in the leadup to the big G20 meet in Delhi, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will want to be seen as the voice of the global South.

SUD: When world leaders arrive in New Delhi this weekend, they won't see some of the slums that would have fallen on their route. Instead, what they will see is this. Statues and fountains that are part of the government's massive beautification drive that activists say have displaced the poor.

SUD (voice-over): Almost three months after this mass demolition drive, we meet Savita. She's as inconsolable as she was on the morning bulldozers rolled into the neighborhood.

Our children were hungry. They were thirsty. We had no place to cook after the demolished our homes, she says.

Amid the rubble, Savita's family camped under a tarpaulin sheet. They were homeless for almost six weeks.

[04:45:00]

We knew we were building our homes in an unauthorized colony, but people have been living here for over 40 years now. Why didn't authorities demolish these homes earlier? Why now? She asks. In a document submitted in court, the Delhi government stated it intends to rehabilitate those impacted by the eviction in new homes. But that hasn't happened.

Human rights activist Harsh Mander says the Modi government is showing no urgency in rehabilitating the poor.

HARSH MANDER, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: What strikes me most is that India, the Indian -- Indian state, is ashamed of what's ostensible poverty. It doesn't want poverty to be visible to people who come here.

SUD (voice-over): In July, the Indian government, in a written response in Parliament, denied any links between the demolitions of homes and the G20 Summit.

CNN has reached out to both the Delhi and central governments. We have yet to receive a response.

About 200 meters away from the G20 Summit venue, Jayanti Devi scavenges for the buried remains of her belongings under the rubble of her home.

Our home, a small eatery, a grocery store, everything was destroyed, she says. People say authorities have cleared out the settlement because of the G20 Summit. She now runs a tea stall along with her husband. Since June, they've been spending nights in this makeshift shelter.

We're so angry, but our poverty makes us powerless. We can't speak up, says Jayanti.

Now plants shroud the rubble that's still scattered around Jayanti Devi's home. High walls have cordoned off the land where Savita once lived.

Amidst the noise and grandeur, the voices of the marginalized grow even softer.

Vedika Sud, CNN, New Delhi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Very good report, isn't it? Interesting to see what goes into the preparations for these events.

NOBILO: Astonishing and it's not the first time that we see that happening when people know that the world attention is going to be on their country. I mean, this is a particularly extreme version.

FOSTER: Yes. Now to Indonesia, where the ASEAN Summit is underway. Top leaders from the Southeast Asian nations meeting in the capital of Jakarta.

NOBILO: The summit comes amid rifts within member states over stalled peace efforts in Myanmar and other regional and international issues. For more, let's go over to CNN's Steven Jiang, who's live for us in

Beijing. Steven, the ASEAN grouping has been criticized previously for being toothless when it comes to issues like Myanmar or the tensions in the South China Sea. Obviously, China becoming increasingly assertive over this in recent days. Any evidence to suggest that this summit will be different?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Bianca, all of the issues you just mentioned actually are definitely overshadowing this summit as well. You know, Myanmar, of course, the crisis very much ongoing more than two years after the military there overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a bloody coup.

And then, as you mentioned, some ASEAN members, especially the Philippines and Vietnam, have long standing territorial disputes with Beijing over the South China Sea, with some recent flareups. For example, when the Chinese Coast Guards using water cannons to prevent the Philippines from resupplying one of their ships there. And Vietnam, of course, actually banning the movie "Barbie" for a map purportedly showing the Chinese claim.

But then of course, there is this issue of -- this dilemma faced by a lot of ASEAN Members, especially given their close economic and trade ties with Beijing. That is their role and their choice in this increasingly heated U.S./China competition, with tension still very much remaining high between Beijing and Washington.

So it is against all of that backdrop, I think the absence of U.S. President Joe Biden seems more conspicuous, especially given Mr. Biden has in the past, usually attended the summit in person. That has led to some people questioning the bloc's relevance and Washington's priority in the region.

Now the White House, obviously pushing back and pointing to Mr. Biden's track record and also the fact he actually hosted most of the ASEAN leaders just a year ago in the White House.

Now in his place, Vice President Kamala Harris is going to Jakarta. And coincidentally the Chinese are also sending their number two leader, Premier Li Keqiang there. So lot of scrutiny over the interactions between all of those leaders at a time when these ASEAN leaders trying to present an image of unity, relevance in this very much fractured world -- Bianca.

NOBILO: Steven Jiang in Beijing, thank you so much.

FOSTER: Still to come, "Barbie" is getting some serious box office competition. We'll tell you which film is now the new number one in the U.S.

[04:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: Two weeks after the Spanish women's national soccer team won the World Cup, the men's team is condemning the behavior of suspended Federation President Luis Rubiales, who kissed a member of the women's team on the mouth after their victory. The men issued a statement calling his behavior unacceptable and not up to the level of the institution that he represents.

FOSTER: And tennis, Coco Gauff will square off against 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open in the coming hours. The sixth seed and one of the favorites to lift the title, Gauff is expected to reach a second Grand Slam final and her first on home soil.

Meanwhile, another American, ninth seed Taylor Fritz, will face Novak Djokovic in the men's quarterfinal. Fritz has lost all seven of his previous meetings against the 23 time. Grand Slam champion but says this could be the right time to snap the streak.

NOBILO: Now to some of the stories in the spotlight. There's a new king of the U.S. box office. Denzel Washington nabbed the top spot with the third film in the Equalizer franchise. The action film brought in more than $34 million over the holiday weekend.

FOSTER: Can't wait for that one. It bumped "Barbie" though, from six weeks at number one. The film, starring Margot Robbie, has become the top grossing film of the year so far. "Barbie" is distributed by Warner Brothers Pictures, which is owned by CNN's parent company Warner Brothers Discovery.

Four men have set a new record for killing the longest alligator ever in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The gator weighed more than 800 pounds or about 360 kilograms.

NOBILO: It measured 14 feet and three inches, which is about 4.3 meters. Alligators can be found across Mississippi and hunting them has been allowed since 2005.

A driver in the state of Nebraska may have saved his life and the lives of others when he called 911 to report somebody driving on the wrong side of the road.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 911 where's your emergency?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm on Hwy. 77 going north and there is somebody that is on the wrong side of the road.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: But it turns out that he was the one driving on the wrong side of the road. Police released video of the traffic stop when the driver was pulled over. Take a look.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know why I stopped you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, because I was on the wrong side of the road. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, is there a reason for that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The officer said the driver told him he, quote, must have missed an exit. Authorities say his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. And he was arrested before anyone was hurt.

NOBILO: Thank goodness.

FOSTER: Thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster.

And I'm Bianca Nobilo. "EARLY START" is up next right here on CNN and we'll both see you tomorrow.