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86 Million People Under Warnings and Watches as Helene Grows and Strengthens; House Task Force Holds Hearing on Trump Assassination Attempt; Netanyahu Denies Reports Suggesting Ceasefire May Be Imminent. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired September 26, 2024 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. You are live in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.

We begin with breaking news right now. Hurricane Helene is churning in the Gulf of Mexico. It's currently at Category 2 strength, but is expected to become a major hurricane before it slams into Florida later tonight. Officials are warning of life threatening storm surges of up to 20 feet.

Plus, New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicted. Sources say the mayor is now facing at least one federal criminal charge. This morning, investigators took his phone and are searching his residence.

And later on, defending a racist post, Louisiana GOP Congressman Clay Higgins stands by his ugly comments, calling Haitian migrants thugs and, quote, slapstick gangsters.

But we do begin with the breaking news. Right now, tropical storm conditions are lashing Florida. It is going to get worse, though, as Hurricane Helene barrels toward the Southeastern United States, we are seeing flooding already, hours before the storm makes landfall.

CNN has reporters covering every angle at this hour. I want to go to Gulfport and CNN's Carlos Suarez. The storm surge there expected to reach up to eight feet. You're already seeing flooding. Carlos, what can you show us?

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right, Jim. Good morning. So, in the last hour, emergency officials here in Pinellas County have expressed a great deal of concern with the fact that folks that live in this part of Gulfport have not evacuated. And you're taking a look at the reason why. This storm is still to come to the southwest of us, and it's not really going to hit us directly. But we're already seeing some of the flooding associated with it.

What you're taking a look at right now is essentially some of the rain that moved in through the area overnight and this morning, coupled with the fact that we are in high tide. And so when those two things happen, you're already starting to see some of the flooding in this part of Pinellas County. Now, just to the right of me is the bay itself, and the entire morning, we've been keeping a close eye on it because it continues to creep in as high tide makes its way in, and as this storm gets closer. As you said, Jim, we are expecting that storm surge to be anywhere between four to six feet. And so emergency officials here in Pinellas County really have been trying to tell folks, you really should get to higher ground. You should move inland.

In fact, just to the east of us in Hillsborough County, which is home to Tampa, there is a mandatory evacuation order that was put in place yesterday for folks that live in the Bay Area, kind of the immediate area that goes right up against the water there, because that part of the Hillsborough County is also expected to see this four to six-foot storm surge later this afternoon and into tomorrow.

Jim, this is my third time in the last three years been at this location. Two years ago, a storm hit to the south, this area flooded last year. The storm hit to the north and this area flooded. And the expectation is that tonight, the same thing will happen here. Jim?

ACOSTA: All right, Carlos Juarez in Gulfport. Carlos Suarez in Gulfport, Florida, thank you so much, Carlos.

Let's go to CNN's John Berman and Tallahassee. John, you covered a lot of these storms. It's getting messy already.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. We're seeing the outer bands right now. It's been raining for the last couple hours or so, and it's only going to get worse.

You know, remarkable pictures from Carlos Suarez in Gulfport, where they're seeing six feet of storm surge about 20 miles south of me right along the Big Bend area of Florida, they could get up to 20 feet of storm surge and the weather service calls that simply unsurvivable.

The situation here in Tallahassee is a little different, but also very, very dangerous. This city with a population of 200,000 storms have passed over before, but in their records, never before at full hurricane strength. And that is what is forecast to happen, at least right now. This storm is moving so quickly. It won't have time to slow down when it passes over Tallahassee. And that could be a real problem, because this city has so many of the huge, gorgeous live oak trees.

The county administrator of Leon County, where Tallahassee is, told me a short time ago they expect thousands of trees down, hundreds of roads closed.

[10:05:03]

It's going to be quite a dangerous situation in this city, not just tonight when the storm hits and passes over, maybe even a direct hit on Tallahassee, but for the next few days, it's going to be very difficult to get around. Lots of power outages, very difficult, even to merely get by, Jim.

ACOSTA: All right, John Berman, stay safe. Thanks so much for that coverage. We really appreciate it.

Let's go to CNN Meteorologist Elisa Raffa. She's tracking all of this in the CNN Weather Center. Elisa, when I hear John Berman talking about 20 feet storm surges, it reminds me of Hurricane Katrina. I covered that in Mississippi when the storm surge got around 30 feet. As John was saying, if you were on the coast, you live anywhere near the beach, that is unsurvivable. That coastal area will become like a washing machine and it just grinds up everything in its path. How bad could it get? Could it get like that in some of these areas of the Big Bend of Florida?

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that is what the National Hurricane Center is worried about using wording like catastrophic, unsurvivable. That is why you have to evacuate. It is because of the storm surge.

Right now, we have a Category 2 hurricane, 100-mile-per-hour winds still sitting south of Apalachicola, but, again, will continue to intensify as we go through the day today. We already have tornado watches in effect for parts of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida because we'll have some tornadoes spin up as the outer bands move on shore. Already we have some tornado warnings near Charlotte this morning.

Here's a look at that track. Hurricane warnings, Apalachicola, after Tallahassee, even inching into Georgia, where we are looking at a major lease at least Category 3 hurricane that could make landfall. Tropical storm force winds plowed through Georgia could cause a lot of problems, even in Atlanta. Here's that unsurvivable storm surge, again up to 20 feet. That is why you need to evacuate. We also have these hurricane force winds that will extend up to 400 miles out. So, just lots of impacts across the southeast, Jim.

ACOSTA: Yes, very scary stuff. John, Carlos and Elisa, thanks to all of you, I really appreciate it.

Let's bring in someone who knows about hurricanes all too well, Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz of Florida. He used to serve as the state's emergency management director. Congressman, good morning. How worried are you about this storm?

REP. JARED MOSKOWITZ (D-FL): Yes, I'm worried about the storm. I'm worried about it from multiple fronts, Jim. I mean, obviously, let's start with the storm surge. We always like to focus on the wind, but it is the storm surge, it is the water that winds up killing the majority of the people.

And so, listen, if you are in a low lying area, if you are in a flood zone, if you are in a mobile home, and you live along that coast where they're predicting 15 to 20 feet of storm surge, please leave. Please go to a shelter. Please go to a friend's house. Just please get out of harm's way. It is unsurvivable. There are pet shelters. Bring your pets. That's mandatory in Florida.

And so look, the state is ready. We are prepared. Obviously, this is a state that's been hit, this area specifically, unfortunately, several hurricanes over the last five years, Michael and Idalia specifically. I feel bad for the people of the panhandle, but Florida has one of the best emergency management departments in the country. All I ask is that the residents heed the warnings of the Florida Department of Emergency Management and the local emergency management directors.

ACOSTA: Yes. You mentioned Hurricane Michael. I mean, this is this has been happening over and over in that part of Florida. How does Helene compare to some of these others that you've seen hit the state? I mean, people might look at the hurricane forecast right now and say, oh, it's a Category 2. I can ride this out. Folks need to understand this is projected to become a major hurricane. And so, I mean, this could be right up there with some of the big ones that have hit that part of the state.

MOSKOWITZ: Yes. Again, Jim, sometimes people focus on these lines like, oh, it's going to be a strong Cat 2 or a weak Cat 3. That five or ten-mile-an-hour difference isn't going to make a difference when it comes to the storm surge, right?

So, look, I did the Hurricane Michael recovery efforts for the state of Florida. This hurricane, okay, could exceed in surge. We could say a higher surge with this hurricane than even Hurricane Michael did in Mexico Beach, 20 feet would be higher.

And so, you know, listen, again, I want people who live in these areas. Please heed the warnings. Please pay attention. Please listen. Again, the difference in this storm and some other storms is this is a big storm. So, also even if you're not in the cone, if you're not going to be in the eye, that doesn't mean that you're not going to see tropical storm force winds for hundreds of miles outside of the center.

So, we're going to have impacts all over the state. You're seeing those impacts in Pinellas County already with flooding. You're going to see that all along up the coast into the Big Bend. And so now is the time, obviously, to either get out and hunker down, get your last supplies if you don't have them. This storm is going to be moving pretty quickly. And, obviously, I'd be remiss if I didn't say the same thing about the residents of Georgia, please pay attention. This is going to be some of the strongest winds coming into Georgia, as it's moving very quickly.

[10:10:01]

Please heed those warnings. Please get your supplies.

ACOSTA: Yes, it could be very dangerous as it heads up into the southeast. You're absolutely right.

I do want to ask you about the investigation of the first Trump assassination attempt while we have you. Right now, the task force you're on is holding its first hearing about what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania. I do want to ask you, what are you hoping to hear from authorities?

MOSKOWITZ: Well, today's hearing, Jim, is from local law enforcement. And so we're going to hear the perspective from the men and women on the ground who, quite frankly, watched the Secret Service fail, tried to warn the Secret Service on what was happening. We're going to talk about communication failures. We're going to talk about the perimeter.

But, look, I never thought I'd be appointed to an assassination task force in my first two years, let alone, while serving on that task force, have a second assassination attempt of a former president.

So, this has been a bipartisan effort. This is super serious. You know, you saw just the other day a unanimous vote in the House, unanimous vote in the Senate to make sure that President Trump has the protection that he needs. An attack on President Trump is an attack on all America. And so, you know, we got to get to the bottom of this on a bipartisan basis.

And we got to solve the problems at the Secret Service. It could be a resource issue, but I also think it's a policy and protocol issue. And sometimes you don't know when a system is going to fail until it gets tested. And so I look forward to listening to the men and women that were on the ground that day.

ACOSTA: And I do want to play a little bit of sound from what we've heard so far at the hearing and get your response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE KELLY (R-PA): This tragedy, the very real threat to democracy of our nation, escaped that day. I think we realize it was entirely preventable.

Had security vulnerabilities not existed, it is entirely plausible he might not even have attempted the shooting and would have returned home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Congressman, how much trouble is the Secret Service in right now as an agency? Is this just a one off or are there systemic problems that need to be dealt with at the agency?

MOSKOWITZ: Well, look, I want to wait until we get all the information, I mean, but I think the American people are starting to draw a conclusion that there are systemic issues at the Secret Service. I think the second attempt, even though obviously there was an agent on the ground who I want to give credit to who saw the gunman and prevented that, and that agent deserves all that credit.

I think as a unit, the Secret Service, I think the American people has lost faith in it. That's why we want to do this task force and get it right, Jim, to restore faith in our institution. That's why getting the information to the American people and make sure we're communicating with the American people on what we're learning as we learn it is so important. That's why the task force and the chairman is talking about that. People should be able to go to a rally in this country, listen to their presidential candidate of choice and go home that day. We had a person killed at that rally. That's not what should happen in America.

And I would be remiss if I didn't say, Jim, as someone who's from the city of Parkland, who graduated Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, people should be able to go to send their kids to school and have those kids home that same day as well.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. You're absolutely right about that. All right, Congressman Jared Moskowitz of Florida, thanks very much for your time this morning. I really appreciate it.

MOSKOWITZ: Thanks, Jim.

ACOSTA: All right, more breaking news this morning. Soon, we will learn what federal criminal charges New York Mayor Eric Adams is facing. Prosecutors are expected to hold a news conference in the next hour.

Earlier this morning, federal investigators searched the mayor's residence and served him with a summons. This new video just in the CNN as those investigators arrived. His lawyers said authority seized his phone. That's the mayor's son.

The indictment follows a month's long federal investigation over allegations. His campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive the illegal donations. Mayor Adams has denied any wrongdoing. And here is how he responded last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D-NEW YORK CITY, NY): These charges will be entirely false based on lies, but they would not be surprising. I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, that I would be a target, and a target I became.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And sources tell CNN the mayor is expected to have several days to turn himself in.

All right, still to come this hour, fight with full force. That's the message from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as the U.S. and several of its allies call for a ceasefire across the Israel- Lebanon border. Former Defense Secretary William Cohen, he will join me -- there he is right there, he'll join me in just a few moments to talk about all of that.

And as we were just mentioning a few moments ago, we are tracking the developments from Hurricane Helene as the storm inches closer to landfall in Florida. Stay with us as this dangerous hurricane heads towards the Gulf Coast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:15:00]

ACOSTA: All right, welcome back. We are tracking Hurricane Helene. This is new video coming in from Apalachicola, Florida, as heavy rain bands are hitting the Gulf Coast city. This area could see winds of up to 110 miles per hour and storm surge of 15 feet. It's going to get a lot worse than what you're seeing right now.

Also breaking this out, we're watching the assassination attempt hearing up on Capitol Hill. You can see the chairman there, Congressman Kelly, presiding over this. Pennsylvania law enforcement officials are testifying. Let's listen in.

KELLY: Mr. Blasko, same question.

DREW BLASKO, PATROLMAN, BUTLER TOWNSHIP POLICE: So, I took my direction from Commander Lenz, and of the things that we were asked to do from my direction from Commander Lenz for the pre planning stages for the sniper teams I would feel that I did what was requested of me from Commander Lenz.

[10:20:02]

KELLY: Okay. So hindsight's always 20-20. Looking back on that, do you think you were adequately prepared for what it is that ultimately happened?

BLASKO: There's always things that you can -- you think that you can do better. But with the information that we had, I believe that we did the very best that we can, or we could.

KELLY: Lieutenant Harold, do you feel the Secret Service adequately prepared you and your men for the event?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Secret Service, after meeting with them at the site and going through what they requested PSP to do, was primarily the security of the farm show inside the fence line. So, adequate troopers -- I had 30 troopers inside that fence line once the motorcade arrived. And I feel that with them being the lead and we were in a request assist function, we provided what they asked for and we secured the inner perimeter of the farm show grounds.

KELLY: Yes. I think with local law enforcement, I think you did everything that you were tasked to do that day. But looking back and looking at the game films and saying, you know what, there probably were other things we should have been including (ph) on that.

Just to ask all of you when did you first meet with Secret Service and understand what your role was going to be that day? Looking at July 13th and working backwards from that Friday, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, when did we get together to find out what we should do that day?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, for Butler ESU, our first contact from the Secret Service was Friday, July 5th at 1:55. And that was a phone call asking for assistance with the upcoming Butler rally. We then had a police planning meeting. It was on July 8th, 2024 in Allegheny County. And during that meeting is where they relay the information specific to their request. And at that point, for Butler ESU, that was two counterassault teams and a quick reaction force. There was --

KELLY: Tell me, where did that meeting take place?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe it was the Allegheny County Emergency Operation Center. I could not be there that day. I was actually teaching an active shooter class in Erie, and one of our deputy commanders went to that meeting.

KELLY: Okay. Mr. Blasko?

BLASKO: So, again, we took -- from that meeting we took direction from Commander Lenz and the deputy commanders and team leaders. And we started to formulate a plan of what to do. But the first interaction that I personally had with the Secret Service would have been the July 11th walkthrough at the farm show grounds.

KELLY: Actually on the site?

BLASKO: Yes, sir.

KELLY: Okay, that was my question. I know that you were in Allegheny County when they were getting ready for this. But who actually walked the site, saw what it was that needed to be done, and had determined a lot of things --

ACOSTA: All right. You are watching the Trump assassination task force that has been assembled in the House of Representatives. They're holding a hearing right now with Pennsylvania local law enforcement officials. We're going to continue to monitor that.

But we also have a lot of other news to cover from the Pennsylvania -- from the Florida Gulf Coast, I should say, to the Middle East. More news right after this. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:25:00]

ACOSTA: Welcome back. At any moment, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will address world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. His speech comes as diplomats there meet privately to find a peaceful end to Israel's war in Gaza.

This morning, a new development in Israel's other conflict, the escalating cross-border attacks with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is denying media reports suggesting there could be an imminent ceasefire. Israel has struck dozens more targets today in Lebanon as much of the world races to keep the conflict from escalating into an all-out war.

And joining me now to talk about this is William Cohen, who served as defense secretary during the Clinton administration. Mr. Secretary, thanks so much for joining us.

I do want to ask you what your sense is right now. Israel is not ruling out a ground offensive in Lebanon. And it sounds as though the Israeli prime minister is signaling that that things are going to be escalating, that he is not really close to any kind of a ceasefire deal. What's your reaction to that?

WILLIAM COHEN, FORMER CLINTON DEFENSE SECRETARY: I think it's going to get worse before it gets worse. I would like to use worser, but I'm told that went out in the 15th century, but that's about where we are. I think from Benjamin Netanyahu's point of view, he said, I'm being attacked from within and from without, and I'm going to try to destroy the people who are trying to destroy me.

I think he'll continue to do that, also keeping his eye on our calendar. In other words, he knows that this would be a very political difficult time for any administration to call him to halt his aggression because that would compromise Israel's security, which is not about to happen under the Biden administration or any administration.

So, I think he feels that time is on his side.

[10:30:00]

He's going to do as much damage as possible to Hezbollah as well as to Hamas.