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Judge Slam Jan. 6 "Normalization" While Sentencing Rioter; Caitlin Clark Named Naismith Women's Player Of The Year; $30 Million Stolen In Los Angeles Easter Burglary. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired April 04, 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: A federal judge has a very stark warning about the consequences of downplaying the January 6 insurrection. He was sentencing a defiant rioter to more than seven years in prison and blasted him for downplaying the attack saying, "We cannot condone the normalization of the January 6 Capitol riot." And the judge added that Americans must respect the results of elections.

CNN's Marshall Cohen attended the sentencing hearing, and he's joining me right now here in the newsroom. So, what else are you hearing from this judge?

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: Wolf, it was a very serious warning from the judge, and it comes as former President Trump is putting the plight of the January 6 defendants at the front of his campaign. Remember he has promised to pardon the rioters. Trump has claimed that they are being treated unfairly. And he's also called them hostages, which they absolutely are not.

So, this was a sentencing for a man named Taylor James Johnatakis. You just saw the footage of him using that metal barricade to overrun the police lines on January 6. And for those actions, he was sentenced to seven years.

While handing down the sentence, this judge had a lot to say. I'll read a few quotes for you. It's from Royce Lamberth. He's a veteran jurist.

He's put on the bench by Reagan. He's been around. He's seen a lot. He said that this can't be normalized. And he went on to warn of a vicious cycle that could imperil our institutions if there is more vigilantism, lawlessness, and anarchy, like we saw on January 6.

Anytime that you don't like the results of an election, you can't do that, he said. And he was very explicit. He said that the January 6 riot was not civil disobedience. And he said there can be no room in our country for this sort of political violence. A very stark warning from this judge.

BLITZER: And as you pointed out, it comes on the heels of Trump calling them patriotic hostages, and suggesting that if he's elected president, he might free them and pardon them down the road. So, it's a very significant statement from this judge.

COHEN: And the judge specifically said -- sorry to cut you off, Wolf. He said specifically, this was selfish, not patriotic.

BLITZER: Yes. Important information. Marshall, thank you very, very much. Now, to Donald Trump's hush money case in New York. The judge has denied the former president's efforts to delay the criminal trial further, and that means it could get underway just 11 days from now.

Let's bring in CNN legal analyst Norm Eisen. Norm, are we about to see the first criminal trial of a former president, or do you think that the Trump legal team can succeed in delay, delay, and delay?

NORM EISEN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Wolf, Trump, and his lawyers are running out of delay options. In a filing this week, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, pointed out that there had been at least eight attempts to delay this trial. So far, all unsuccessful.

The latest was the rejection of claims based on absolute immunity, the same issues that are being litigated at the United States Supreme Court in the Jack Smith D.C. case. But the judge found Trump brought that up too late. So, Trump's own delay victimized his delay attempt. This case is very likely going to trial with jury selection starting on April 15.

BLITZER: It will be a historic moment. A former president of the United States going on trial. We'll watch to see what happens. As you know, Trump also shared articles about the judge and the judge's daughter, and his wife on social media. Do you believe that violates the gag order?

[11:35:08]

EISEN: Wolf, I think that it probably is a technical violation of the gag order. However, you'll notice that so far, there's been no complaints about it because it's indirect. It's Trump sharing the words of others.

We'll see if the D.A. has raised an issue. Not everything that happens in court happens publicly. So, there may also have been private letter briefing about these conferences with the judge or other concerns. But if Trump keeps on this course, because of the risk and danger to the judge's daughter, any other individual targeted in this fashion, I do think you're going to see a court response as we've seen in other cases with the gag order.

BLITZER: Because -- it's clearly a big question why Trump would take that kind of risk with this judge right now. Some analysts have suggested it might be deliberate to provoke the judge and maybe as a result of that, get some sort of delay.

EISEN: Yes, the pattern of Donald Trump has been to test -- to push. You'll remember, in the civil fraud trial, Alvin Bragg alleges that this case is a kind of continuation of fraud on the voters. In the civil fraud trial where Judge Engoron sat, there was also a gag order, and Trump tested it and tested it. He pushed it. He was sanctioned. He was sanctioned over and over again. He had to pay a money fine. Finally, when he said that he had come to the very edge and the consequences were going to be even more severe, he stopped.

In that case, it was attacking the judge's law clerk. Here, it's the judge's daughter. That's Trump's M.O. As I write about in my new book coming out next week trying Trump a guide to this first election interference criminal trial.

BLITZER: We'll be talking about the new book next week after it's released out there and published. I want to get your thoughts on a development -- an important development now unfolding in the Mar-a- Lago classified documents case in Florida. The special counsel -- the -- Trump now says the special counsel, Jack Smith, the Justice Department's special counsel has been prosecuted this.

He should be sanctioned, Trump's lawyers say. Trump himself says he'll be sanctioned after Jack Smith blasted Judge Aileen Cannon's request for jury instructions. What's your take on that?

EISEN: Wolf, I have a new piece up at CNN opinion explaining that Jack Smith is in the right here. The judge has made a inexplicable and troubling illegal hypothesis that she asked Jack Smith to respond to, saying that simply by Donald Trump -- asking, can Donald Trump, simply by taking classified documents, the definition of an official document, simply by removing them from the White House when he leaves, do they become personal documents? That's nonsensical.

Jack Smith filed papers as the judge requested. She wanted his views saying that's nonsense. It's fundamentally unsound. And he did say politely but firmly, I will take you to the 11th circuit if you continue down this path.

It's Judge Cannon who is in trouble here not Jack Smith. Donald Trump again, provocation, no legal basis for Smith to be sanctioned.

BLITZER: I'm looking forward to go through your new book when it's released next week. Thanks very much, Norm Eisen. Appreciate it as always.

Still ahead. LSU basketball star Angel Reese is officially moving on to the WNBA. We've got new information. Stay with us. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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[11:43:23]

BLITZER: For the second year in a row, the Iowa basketball star, Caitlin Clark, has been named the Naismith Women's College Player of the Year.

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CAITLIN CLARK, IOWA HAWKEYES GUARD: I think it's been a special year for women's basketball. So, to win this award is really special. But to be back here playing with my team, I couldn't script it any better.

I know some of them are here somewhere back there. I'm not really sure. Oh, right there. Thank you for being here. I love you guys. This is just as much honor as is it mine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Caitlin Clark and her Hawkeye teammates will go against the UConn Huskies in a Final Four game tomorrow night. CNN Sports Anchor Andy Scholes is joining us right now. Andy, Clark again carving her name into the history books. How big of a record-breaking year has this been for her?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Wolf, it's about as big as it gets, right? ESPN even has its own Caitlin Clark record tracker because it seems like every time she goes and steps on the floor, she ends up setting another record. She, of course, became Division One women's all-time scorer earlier this year. Then she became the all- time NCAA Division One men's and women's scoring leader. She's got the single-season record for three-pointers.

And you know, the records just keep going on and on, Wolf. And what makes it so much fun to watch is the way she plays. It's like -- you know, she is just like almost like a Steph Curry in the women's game.

She's pulling up from all over the court, making threes from way downtown. You know, everyone else -- you know, 12.3 million viewers for that LSU game. Everyone was watching it.

It seemed like every time she came down the court it's like is she going to do it again? Is she going to do it again? And of course, she would pull up and make another long three-pointer. And as I mentioned, that so many viewers for that game because it's been so much fun watching her reach all of these accomplishments.

[11:45:02]

You know, 12.3 million viewers on Monday, Wolf, you know that was more people watched that than any other women's game in the history of women's college basketball. It was -- more people watch that than every other game but one in the NBA finals this past year, then every game in the 2023 World Series. So, Wolf, as she keeps reaching all these accomplishments and the word keeps spreading of how much fun it is to watch Caitlin Clark, more people keep tuning in.

We'll see how many people Tune in Friday night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern as they take on UConn. That one should be an especially fun game, Wolf, because, you know, UConn Huskies -- Caitlin Clark, she wanted to go there early you know, when she was becoming a star in high school. It didn't work out that way.

But Geno Auriemma said earlier this tournament that his player Paige Bueckers is actually the best college -- women's college basketball player. He kind of walked those comments back because he doesn't want Caitlin Clark to have any bulletin board material. But I'll tell you what, that Caitlin Clark versus UConn game is certainly going to be a fun one.

BLITZER: Yes, she's amazing. I was one of those millions who were watching.

SCHOLES: Yes.

BLITZER: Every minute of that game, it was great. It also looks like Caitlin Clark could be getting some company in this year's WNBA draft. Tell us about that.

SCHOLES: Yes. Angel Reese, she dec -- she declared that she is also going to be heading to the WNBA draft. She said, you know, I've done everything I wanted to do in college. You know, she was a national champion, S.E.C. Player of the Year, she's been an All-American, and her ultimate goal is to be one of the best pros to ever play the game.

She feels like she's ready. So, she will be heading to the WNBA draft along with Caitlin Clark. Angel -- Clark's going to go number one to the Indiana Fever. That's pretty much a foregone conclusion. Angel Reese, she's projected to be a top-10 pick. So, we're going to get to see the Reese versus Clark battle ahead to the WNBA in the coming years.

And you know, one person who's certainly been watching the women's game is LeBron James. And he spoke last night. And he says he's just been so impressed of what he's seen. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS FORWARD: I don't think there's, you know, much difference between the men's and women's game when it comes to college basketball. I think the popularity comes in because of the icons that they have in the women's game, you know. You look at, you know, Angel Reese, you look at you know, JuJu, you look at Caitlin Clark, you look at Paige, you look at the young girls in Iowa State, the freshman there, you look at Brink I believe her last name is at Stanford, and that's just to name a few. And the freshmen as -- at Notre Dame. They -- because they are not allowed to go to the NBA, you would be able to build, you know, like a real, like iconic legacy out of -- out of program, and that's what we all love about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, certainly so, Wolf. And it's because of that continuity that LeBron just kind of talked about, we've gotten to know these women over the last few years. And it's one of the reasons why so many people are tuning in because it's you know, familiar faces. We know who to cheer for.

BLITZER: Yes, it's clearly a major, major moment for women's basketball right now here in the United States. And I love every minute of it. I also personally witnessed, I know you did as well, firsthand, this year's All-Star -- NBA All-Star Weekend, and we watched WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu challenge one of the NBA's greatest point guards, maybe the greatest point guard right now, Steph Curry, to a three-point shoot-out. SCHOLES: Yes.

BLITZER: What did you make of this rise that we're -- that we're seeing of women in basketball?

SCHOLES: Well, I'd say what, Wolf, you know, that was an added event to this year's NBA All-Star Weekend. And Sabrina Ionescu put on an absolute show. And it was probably arguably the best part of NBA All- Star Weekend.

And they're going to hopefully continue that in the next years. And who knows, maybe we'll get to see Ionescu with Caitlin Clark taking on Steph Curry versus Klay Thompson next year. That is the rumor right now, and that would certainly be fun to watch.

BLITZER: And she was amazing with her three-point shooting. She almost won that three-point shootout against Steph Curry.

SCHOLES: It was close. Yes.

BLITZER: We are all watching. And a lot of us who were at the NBA All- Star Game weekend, we came out of it saying that was the greatest moment of the entire weekend for all of us. It was really an incredible moment, and she was amazing. The New York Liberty WNBA star almost beat Steph Curry in a three-point shootout.

SCHOLES: Yes.

BLITZER: Andy Scholes, thanks very much. And we'll be right back.

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[11:53:32]

BLITZER: Right now, a mystery in Los Angeles. A law enforcement source tells CNN the FBI and the LAPD are investigating one of the biggest cash heists in the city's history. CNN Security Correspondent Josh Campbell is in Los Angeles for us. So, Josh, what's the latest on this investigation?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, you know this sounds like something that could be out of a screenplay written here in Hollywood, but this brazen heist is real. As you mentioned at this hour, the FBI, the LAPD trying to find this group of burglars. Now, this case was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

A law enforcement source tells me that this occurred on Easter Sunday during the evening. But wasn't discovered until the next day on Monday through what he said that this group was able to somehow make their way into this facility without tripping off any alarms. They made their way inside a vault.

This facility is one that stores money. You know, businesses obviously handle money. That money is often taken to facilities like this for counting and processing. But a major heist here of nearly $30 million that was taken. One source tells me at this hour, one major focus of this investigation is whether this group had some type of inside knowledge of that building. We're talking about a nondescript building that doesn't have signage. And so, for the group to not only know where this is but also to make their way inside this building without setting off alarms, without tripping any other kind of detection, obviously a major focus of the investigation.

I'm also told that authorities are trying to look for any type of CCTV footage in and around that area, and tried to identify the route of travel of this group of burglars both to the building and then as they left. That also includes things like license plate readers on the freeway near where this building is. Again, try -- to just get a picture of what was actually happening here.

[11:55:14]

Now, this was -- there was another major heist back in 1997. That was when a group stole nearly $20 million. They were eventually caught. But at this hour right now, Wolf, authorities have not indicated they know who this group was or where they are.

BLITZER: Josh Campbell reporting for us, thank you very much.

CAMPBELL: You bet.

BLITZER: And to our viewers, thanks very much for joining us here in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Wolf Blitzer. I'll be back later tonight. 6:00 p.m. Eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM." And back tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

Stay with CNN. "INSIDE POLITICS" with Dana Bash starts right after a short break.

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