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Special Counsel Rips Judge's Handling Of Trump Document Case; Biden "Outraged" By Deaths Of Seven Aid Workers In Gaza; Countdown To Next Week's Total Solar Eclipse. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired April 03, 2024 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

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WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, an important and remarkable development in Donald Trump's classified documents case. The Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith blasted Judge Aileen Cannon in a court filing saying her jury instruction requests reflected " a fundamentally flawed understanding of the case that has no basis in law or fact." CNN's Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Paula Reid is with me here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Paula, this is a very strong statement for the special counsel. What is his argument?

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, look. Let's talk about Judge Aileen Cannon first, right? She is the Trump- appointed federal judge here. She's only been on the bench for a couple of years. Never handled a case like this, Wolf. And even given the fact that this is the unprecedented prosecution of a former president related to classified documents, her approach has come under considerable scrutiny.

Now, this is certainly the strongest rebuke from the special counsel. But, of course, they still might need to try a case in front of her, so they can only go so far. But she gave them an assignment a few weeks ago. She said I want you to submit instructions for the jury in an eventual trial about the Presidential Records Act. Now this is a law that was passed after Nixon resigned that covers how government records are handled at the end of an administration.

Trump has tried to suggest that he was allowed to have these classified documents under the Presidential Records Act. The special counsel rejects this on its face saying look, he's not charged under this. He's charged with having classified documents after he left the White House.

And it was interesting. They also revealed some new evidence they have about how he never labeled any of these personal records when he was in the White House. And he only came up with this defense months after these accusations surfaced. It came from a conservative lawyer. So, they're just rejecting this idea outright.

BLITZER: How's Trump's legal team responding to the special counsel's motion?

[11:35:00]

REID: Of course, Wolf, they love this idea that the judge is sort of giving them an opening for this defense that a lot of people have kind of laughed at. Now, of course, they say that they would tell a jury that he was authorized by the Presidential Records Act to have these in a scenario where she says that yes, he was entitled to hold these documents. They would argue that there shouldn't even be a jury, there shouldn't be a trial.

And they also suggest that the special counsel is going to have difficulty proving their case when it comes to him knowingly retaining these documents. They say, "Medical science has not yet devised an instrument which can record what's on one's mind in the distant past." So, they're being a little cheeky here. But, of course, there is a recording where the former president acknowledges that he has classified materials that he cannot and did not at that time have the power to declassify it. So, I think that Jack Smith saw that one coming.

BLITZER: Interesting. You're our Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent.

REID: Yes.

BLITZER: Paula Reid, thank you very, very much. Still ahead. President Biden says Israel is not doing enough to protect civilian life in Gaza after an Israeli strike killed seven aid workers with the World Central Kitchen. A key member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is standing by to join us live. That's coming up next.

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[11:40:46]

BLITZER: Let's get back to one of our top stories. President Biden now says he's outraged and heartbroken after workers with the World Central Kitchen in Gaza were killed Monday in an Israeli airstrike. Joining us now to discuss this and more, is Democratic Congressman Jared Moscowitz of Florida. He's a key member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congressman, thanks very much for joining us. How concerned are you by Israel's strikes on these aid workers? And does the evidence suggest to you that this was in fact a targeted attack?

REP. JARED MOSKOWITZ (D-FL): Well, thanks, Wolf. Thanks for having me. I mean, I agree with President Biden that it's a tragedy.

These families now are broken. I've met with Jose Andres. I used World Food Kitchen during COVID when I was the Director of Emergency Management.

I mean, what do they do? Amazing work around the world in extremely tough areas. And so, this is obviously a mistake by the Israelis. It shouldn't have happened. They're going to have to figure out how to double, triple, quadruple their efforts to make sure nothing like this happens again. But also, let's be clear, Wolf. This would not have happened had Hamas accepted the ceasefire that has now been on the table that the U.S., the Israelis, and the Qataris have proposed now for the last month that Hamas continues to say no to. And so, you know I'm hoping we can get to a ceasefire -- the six-week ceasefire in exchange for the hostages.

A 10-to-one swap is what Israel has proposed for prisoners. And yet Hamas continues to say no. But this is something that, unfortunately, we've seen happen in war. It happened also in Iraq. It happened also in Afghanistan.

But these families are irrevocably broken. Empty rooms in their house. Empty chairs at the dinner table. There's nothing you can say. For people who were doing humanitarian work and putting their lives on the line, there's nothing you can say to explain this away.

BLITZER: Yes, our deepest condolences to those families and friends. Congressman, while I have you, I quickly want to turn to some other important events unfolding here in the United States. As you know, the former president, Donald Trump, is talking about what he thinks will happen if he were to lose this year's presidential election in November. Listen to what he says. Listen to this.

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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (R) AND CURRENT U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (R): If we don't win on November 5, I think our country is going to cease to exist. It could be the last election we ever have. I actually mean that.

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BLITZER: What's your reaction to that?

MOSKOWITZ: Well, listen, I don't -- I'm happy to break some news on your show to the American people. But we're still going to have elections, right? The sun is still going to rise and set, OK? It will probably still rain a lot, right? You'll still be able to buy Doritos at your local grocery store.

And to -- look, Trump's chagrin, we'll probably still have jails. And so, nothing is going to change, right? The fearmongering, all of this stuff needs to end like oh, the world is going to end if Donald Trump doesn't get reelected, you know.

This is where he's at because he's got no positive vision for the country. He's got no policies for the country. And his poll numbers are now starting to go down. Joe Biden is doing better ever since the State of the Union.

And so, I -- there is no doubt, Wolf, this is not the end of this nonsense. We're going to see this all the way until November. And if Donald Trump is -- if this is where Donald Trump is in April, just wait until we get to September. BLITZER: Yes. And October and November. Congressman, let me get your thoughts also on an issue very close to all Floridians. This week's decision by the Florida Supreme Court that allows voters to decide this coming fall in November, whether to enshrine abortion protections in the state's constitution. President Biden's reelection campaign sees this potentially as an opening to drive people to the polls after losing a series of big races in Florida. Do you think your state is really in play for your party come this November?

MOSKOWITZ: Well, look. The decision is a good-news bad-news situation. The bad news is, is that the Supreme Court also said the six-week abortion ban in the state of Florida is valid. So, that's now the law of the land, six weeks, a woman gets a right to choose and she doesn't even know that she's pregnant in almost all those cases.

[11:45:08]

But the Supreme Court also said, but we're going to let the voters decide one time. So, we have to hit 60 percent. If we don't hit 60 percent to put that in the Constitution, a woman's right to choose, then the six-week abortion ban is here to stay. And so, yes, I think this is an opportunity for the Biden administration as far as voter turnout.

Now, Republicans outnumbered Democrats in the state by over 800,000 voters. That's been a change since COVID. But this also expands the map I think for Joe Biden because I think now Donald Trump is going to have to spend time and money in Florida that he wasn't anticipating to do.

So, that helps Joe Biden in Georgia and North Carolina and Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada. So, yes, it helps us in Florida. But I think it helps the president expand the map in other places because you know if you've seen the travel schedule, Joe Biden is on the road a lot more than Donald Trump, and Joe Biden has more money to invest in these areas to turn out the vote.

BLITZER: Congressman Jared Moscowitz of Florida, thank you very much for that update. Appreciate it very much.

Coming up. The countdown is on. We're just five days away from the total solar eclipse. Just ahead. What do you need to know to make sure you can enjoy the phenomenon without permanently damaging your eyes?

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[11:50:47]

BLITZER: The total solar eclipse is just five days away. On Monday, millions of Americans will have a clearer view of the moon completely blocking out the sun. It's expected to be a huge boost for tourism in the path of totality as it's close -- as it's called, which stretches across the United States from Mexico all the way up to Canada.

Joining us now is CNN Space and Defense Correspondent Kristin Fisher. So, Kristin, what makes this eclipse unique? KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE & DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, the continental United States is not going to see another total solar eclipse like this one for 20 years. So, see it while you can. But there's other two things that make this one really unique.

First, the length of the moment of totality. Typically, it's only about a minute or two. This time, it's going to be about four minutes long. And that's when it turns completely to darkness. So dark, you can see the stars in the sky if you're in that path of totality.

And then the other thing is that the sun is particularly active right now. And so, when you do have that moment of totality, you can really see the coronal flares and ejections coming out beside the sun. So, it looks a bit cooler, as well.

But you know, Wolf, the big issue right now is the weather. There are so many people trying to see this. And right now, the weather is not looking like it's going to cooperate in so many parts of the country. But if it does cooperate, and if you can, you're one of those lucky ones that actually get to see the eclipse in that path of totality.

Of course, you have to remember to bring your eclipse glasses unless you're in those four minutes, those four moments of totality. And that's when you can actually take your glasses off and look at the Eclipse as it's happening. But only for those four minutes.

And as you and I were just talking about, it sounds easy. Everybody knows eclipse glasses. You got many of the dogs wearing eclipse glasses. But if you have kids, you really do have to be careful because --

BLITZER: Yes, to the kids, it could be so dangerous.

FISHER: Yes.

BLITZER: If you're looking without glasses directly at that Eclipse, you could lose some of your eyesight.

FISHER: Absolutely. Lose color. Even have some like patchy holes in your vision. So, you really have to prep kids --

BLITZER: You could even go blind.

FISHER: Yes, exactly. You have to prep kids ahead of time and say -- you know, just explain to them the importance of why they really have to wear these glasses.

BLITZER: Not just kids. You have to prep adults too.

FISHER: Adults too, clearly.

BLITZER: Yes. this is a very, very potentially dangerous moment if you're not precise with those special glasses.

FISHER: Yes, you're right.

BLITZER: They may not be cute, those glasses, but they're really important.

FISHER: They're not pretty styling, you know.

BLITZER: Kristin Fisher, as usual, we rely on you. Thank you very, very much.

FISHER: Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: Kristin Fisher reporting. And make sure to tune in for CNN's total coverage of the total solar eclipse. It starts Monday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN, or you can stream it on Max.

Still ahead. Some of the biggest names in music are sounding the alarm right now about artificial intelligence. Why more than 200 artists say the "predatory use of AI sabotages their work?" Stay with us. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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[11:58:06]

BLITZER: Some of the biggest names in music are now sounding the alarm about artificial intelligence. More than 200 artists including Stevie Wonder and Katy Perry have signed an open letter calling for AI tech companies to "cease the use of artificial intelligence to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists."

CNN Entertainment Correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister is joining us right now. Elizabeth, so what are the artists most concerned about?

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: This is the biggest show of support that we have seen from A-listers against AI which, of course, is a growing concern in Hollywood and beyond. As you said, stars like Katy Perry, Stevie Wonder, Jon Bon Jovi, also the estates of Frank Sinatra and Bob Marley are calling to stop AI from replacing human artists. They say that voice cloning will essentially take away work and take away compensation from singers, songwriters, and rights holders.

Now, this is not an issue that is going away anytime soon, right? The technology is here to stay. And now what's going to happen in Hollywood is what do we do with it? How do you protect these artists?

We do see some legislation happening. This is an issue that is going to Congress. We just saw Tennessee was the first state to pass an act to bring some rights and protections to the artists.

But we also have artists who appreciate AI. Paul McCartney recently said that he actually loves the technology because last year, the Beatles were able to release what he says is their last song by taking a track that was recorded by John Lennon decades ago and using it for a new song. So again, very innovative technology, but can't take away from the work and the bottom line for all of these artists.

BLITZER: Elizabeth Wagmeister reporting for us. Elizabeth, thank you very, very much. And to our viewers, thanks very much for joining me here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. I'll be back later tonight at 6:00 p.m. Eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Right here back tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Stay with CNN. "INSIDE POLITICS" with Dana Bash starts right now.