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Hallie Biden Testifying In Hunter Biden Gun Trial; Now: Hearing On Request For Bannon To Start Prison Time; Soon: Boeing Starliner To Dock At ISS. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired June 06, 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]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: If there were a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, it would be much, much worse than the war that's going on in Gaza between Israel and Hamas right now, given the military capabilities of Hezbollah that they've accumulated over these years. Aaron David Miller, thank you very much for your analysis as usual.

And still ahead this hour. The star witness has been called to the stand in the Hunter Biden trial. We're going to take you live to the courthouse. Stay with us. You're on the CNN NEWSROOM.

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[11:35:12]

BLITZER: There's breaking news out of the Hunter Biden trial in Wilmington, Delaware. Let's go straight to our senior justice correspondent Evan Perez. He's just outside the courthouse there. Evan, so what's the latest? What do we know?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, I just emerged from the courtroom. Halle Biden, the star witness for the prosecution took the stand just over an hour ago. And the importance of her testimony is -- Wolf, is that she is for the first time placing any indication that she believes Hunter Biden was using crack cocaine in October of 2018.

This is around the time that she found the gun. This is around the time that she -- that he bought the gun. He bought the gun on October 12, 2018.

And prosecutors are arguing that he knew he was addicted to drugs that he was struggling with addiction, and that he did not have -- did not qualify to buy that firearm. That's why he lied on the form when he filled out the background check information. And so, Hallie Biden is the first witness now that is able to at least bring prosecutors into October, somewhere around the time -- somewhere around the time that he bought the firearm.

And she says that around October 23 is when she found a firearm -- she found a gun in his truck. And she freaked out. And took it to a supermarket. Put it in a trash can. And that's where it disappeared.] And so, this is a very important moment for the prosecution because again, until now, the defense has been trying to drive home the point to the -- to the jury that there is no evidence. Hunter Biden was using drugs around the time that he bought the gun. Wolf?

BLITZER: Yes. Hallie Biden the widow of Beau Biden, Hunter Biden's brother who died. We'll watch this very closely together with you. Evan Perez, thank you very much.

And we'll be right back with more news.

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[11:41:34]

BLITZER: In Georgia, the election subversion case against Donald Trump and several of his co-defendants is now paused indefinitely. It's a major legal victory for the former president as he tries to push his legal issues until after the 2024 presidential election. The appeals court ruled that the case cannot go forward until a panel of judges decides whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified. That really might not come until the spring of 2025.

Also happening now. Key Trump allies are set to be arraigned in Arizona for their roles in the fake Electors case. Among them, Arizona State Senator Jake Hoffman. He's accused of a scheme to try to overturn Trump's loss in 2020. Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani who was also indicted in the case is also required to appear in court.

Right now, Steve Bannon is in U.S. District Court in Washington. The U.S. Justice Department is requesting that Donald Trump's former advisor begin serving his four-month prison sentence. Bannon was convicted nearly two years ago of contempt of Congress after defying a subpoena over the January 6 Capitol riot.

Let's bring in CNN Political Correspondent Sara Murray. She's live outside court for us. And CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson. First of all, to you Sara, what do we expect to see in court today?

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this is really the continuation of a fight of whether it's time for Steve Bannon to face the repercussions for refusing to comply with the House committee investigating January 6. As you pointed out, a jury found him guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress in July of 2022 for refusing to provide testimony and documents to that committee. A judge sentenced him to four months behind bars. But he put that sentence on hold so Bannon could appeal his conviction.

His first crack at that appeal failed. The appeals court upheld his conviction. The Justice Department says it's time for Steve Bannon to pay the price to serve his sentence. And then as attorneys believe he should be allowed to remain free until he exhausts all of his appeal options, including going to the Supreme Court, if necessary, Wolf.

BLITZER: And Joey, Steve Bannon, as you know, he's been successful in delaying his sentence in the past. Do you think you'll be able to do the same today?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: So Wolf, it'll be a judicial determination, obviously. But I think we have as we look there that he was found guilty in July of '22. He was convicted of those two counts that Sara spoke to.

Number one, he was supposed to produce documents. He didn't. He was supposed to show up. He didn't. And then the sentence was effectuated in October of that year.

And of course, we know, Wolf, that he appealed that sentence. They kept him out. They stayed the sentence pending the appeal.

And so, today's argument really will be whether he should go in or whether the appellate process should be exhausted. I think briefly, Wolf, in having this discussion, we have to separate the person discussed from the discussion itself. How?

I think that any person if you're exhausting your remedies to appeal really should be able to do that outside of jail. Why? Because if you serve a sentence and an appellate court says we're reversing, it's irreparable harm. You've already served.

And so, the argument of his lawyers will be, listen. The appellate court ruled that you know what I was not successful that certainly I was convicted during trial, and that will stand. However, I can still now go to the D.C. Circuit.

They call it on-bonk. That's a -- that's all of the justices in the D.C. Circuit evaluating that. And if not, perhaps the Supreme Court.

[11:45:01]

So, I think they do. That this Bannon's team have a very good argument to make that if the judge puts him in, which won't be today, they usually in federal court give you time to surrender, the harm would be done. Let's wait for all of this to be exhausted.

So, I think he has a very credible argument. But ultimately, Wolf, it depends upon the person who wears the black robe. And that's the judge.

BLITZER: So, Sara, how soon -- based on what you're hearing -- what you're reporting shows you, how soon do you think we actually potentially could see Steve Bannon report to prison?

MURRAY: Well, I think Joe is totally right, that even if the judge decides today that Steve Bannon cannot exhaust the rest of his appeals that he needs to report to prison, the judge is still going to give him a couple of months to do so. When he did this original sentencing back in October of 2022, he said that if Bannon was not going to appeal in this case that he would have to report to prison in November, a few weeks later. And so, I think you would see sort of a similar timeline this time around if the judge decides today it's time for Bannon to start sentence. BLITZER: And as you know, Joey, Trump pardoned several of his allies when he was president of the United States, including Bannon himself in another case. Could Bannon be trying to delay his sentence until the results of the presidential election are known in November?

JACKSON: Yes. I -- Wolf, I've -- that that's exactly the play. I mean, I think you've seen with the president himself not under discussion now but partially under discussion because if he wins, I think we could see a part -- certainly a part in there. But you know, what the president is doing with respect to his case is, which is delay, delay, delay. And if you delay it long enough, you occupy the Oval Office. Then, of course, the circumstances changed, the game changed, and the consequences changed.

And so, I think in the event that this appeal, it goes forward and there is more delay, and Trump gets ultimately elected, then upon assuming office in January, Bannon certainly could be ripe for having a pardon. But you know what, that's a ways off.

And it could be that Biden does -- Biden gets elected, Trump does not. And it could be that a pardon is not on the table.

And it also could be even an appellate court says, hey, there's nothing to see here. We're not even permitting you to appeal. It's not as of right.

The on-bonk court has to decide to do it. And the Supreme Court has to decide to take it. Both courts could say, you know what, a court has ruled.

We're not taking anything. It stands. Let's see what that -- what happens then.

BLITZER: All right. Joey Jackson and Sara Murray, to both of you, thank you very much.

Up next. The Boeing Starliner is expected to dock at the International Space Station very soon after it ran into some major issues on the way. We're going to bring you the latest developments. Stay with us. You're on the CNN NEWSROOM.

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[11:51:59]

BLITZER: Just moments from now the Boeing-built Starliner spacecraft is expected to dock at the International Space Station. But the path to the International Space Station raised some major new issues including two new helium leaks on the space vehicle. CNN's space and defense correspondent Kristen Fisher is joining us right now. Kristen, first of all, what do we know about the current situation?

KRISTEN FISHER, CNN SPACE & DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now that Boeing Starliner spacecraft and the two astronauts on board that launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station just yesterday. Their names Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. They're now just under 300 meters away from the International Space Station with docking set to take place at 12:15 p.m. Eastern time.

You're right, Wolf. Overnight, they ran into issues with more helium leaks. We knew about one before launch. Two more popped up once the spacecraft was in orbit. But it appears they've gotten them under control.

And now on this final approach to the ISS, they ran into a few more little issues, some problems with some thrusters which propel the spacecraft through space. But right now, Butch Williams the commander is piloting the spacecraft manually which means moving it totally on his own. No computers.

And so, we will wait and see if they are able to successfully dock with the space station. So, you know, yes, some minor issues, Wolf. But these types of things on a first crewed test flight definitely to be expected.

BLITZER: Let's hope -- let's hope that docking takes place very smoothly in the next few minutes. It's also a big day. As you know, Kristen, for other space news. SpaceX just achieved a milestone with its Starship. What can you tell us about that?

FISHER: Yes. Wolf, this one was so much fun to watch. This is the most powerful rocket that anyone on planet Earth has ever built.

There have been three previous flight tests. And some folks have said, you know, was it a success or was it a failure? They were debatable in some circles. But this test without question and overwhelming success, SpaceX able to accomplish its two primary objectives. A soft- controlled landing of not only the super heavy booster but the Starship spacecraft itself surviving reentry.

I mean, Wolf, this is just the stuff of science fiction. It is truly hard to believe for people that really know how complex this stuff is, what we're seeing. And once again, SpaceX able to beam all of this back live through Starlink terminals that were mounted on the spaceship.

So, a big day for SpaceX. And a really big day for NASA because NASA needs this vehicle Starship in order to land its astronauts back on the moon for the first time since the Apollo program, Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes. Lots of space news. And we're grateful to Kristen Fisher, for reporting it for us. Kristen, thank you very, very much.

And to our viewers, thanks very much for joining me here on 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."

[11:55:03]

My full interview with the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on this 80th anniversary of D-Day. That will -- that will happen during the 6:00 p.m. Eastern hour. In the meantime, "INSIDE POLITICS" with Dana Bash begins right after a quick break.

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