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CNN This Morning
Today: Giuliani On Trial For Damages In Defamation Case; Blinken: Israel Must Do More To Protect Gaza Civilians; U.N. Urges COP28 Summit To Reach Fossil Fuels Deal. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired December 11, 2023 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:30:00]
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.
Next hour, jury selection will begin in the civil case against former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. The judge has already found Giuliani liable for defamation. This is now to determine the monetary damages he must pay to two Georgia election workers. He was found guilty of lying about them following the 2020 presidential election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUBY FREEMAN, GEORGIA ELECTION WORKER: I've lost my name and I've lost my reputation. I've lost my sense of security all because a group of people starting with number 45 and his ally, Rudy Giuliani, decided to scapegoat me and my daughter Shaye to push their own lies about how the presidential election was stolen.
SHAYE MOSS, GEORGIA ELECTION WORKER: I second guess everything that I do. It's affected my life in a -- in a major way -- in every way all because of lies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Katelyn Polantz joins us now. I mean, you just -- I'm so glad we replayed that because we all remember it and the pain from those two women is palpable.
What is at stake here for Giuliani, and what do the results mean? Could they be a preview for any future cases in Fulton County?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Fulton County and in Washington, D.C. against Donald Trump related to the 2020 election.
Phil and Poppy, this is a window into an episode of what happened after the 2020 election that affected real people -- those two women, Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman, a mother and daughter who were election workers.
The judge in this case -- this is a civil case -- a lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani. The judge here has already found that Giuliani defamed them. That he lied quite publicly about what had happened after the 2020 election. He said that they had been switching votes as they counted ballots, accusing them of doing things nefarious that was just not true.
And so, what's happening now is that he's going to trial before a jury in Washington, D.C. in federal court, and that jury is going to determine how much he should owe these two women for what he said publicly.
Now, just in the trial itself -- not even the stakes of what the jury could find -- there's a lot at stake. Giuliani must be there, himself, in person. We are expecting to see him today over at the federal court. And also, we do know that his defense attorney is pledging that he will take the stand to testify. So we're very much watching for that.
And much of this could be replicated in some way in other trials upcoming when we hear from very similar witnesses.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR: Katelyn, I ask the obvious question. Does Rudy Giuliani have any money to actually pay whatever this judgment is?
POLANTZ: Uh, it doesn't appear so. It doesn't seem as if he has had much money at all, even to fight these charges. That's one of the reasons why this is going to trial for damages so quickly. He basically wasn't doing much to defend himself against the lawsuit before trial and he doesn't seem to have much of a defense going into this other than wanting to take the stand in his own defense.
And then, Phil and Poppy, the number here that these women are asking for -- $15.5 million to $43 million in reputational damage alone. That doesn't count what a jury could want to do to punish Giuliani and to award these women for the emotional distress they've been through.
HARLOW: Words matter.
Katelyn Polantz, thanks very, very much for the reporting.
MATTINGLY: Well, the U.S. is calling on Israel to do more to protect civilian lives in Gaza. Officials say the death toll there is now nearly 18,000 people. We're going to speak to a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next.
(COMMERCIAL)
[07:37:43]
MATTINGLY: Well, this morning, the Palestinian death toll in Gaza is now approaching 18,000. That's according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health. The United Nations secretary-general says Gaza is at a quote, "breaking point" and warns of humanitarian catastrophe. He urged the U.N. Security Council to demand a humanitarian ceasefire. And now, patience is wearing thin, even among Israel's staunchest allies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: We think there needs to be a premium put on protecting civilians and making sure that humanitarian assistance can get to everyone who needs it. And as I said, I think the intent is there but the results are not always manifesting themselves. It's imperative that civilians be protected and here, the critical thing is to make sure that the military operations are designed around civilian protection.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: Joining us now is senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mark Regev. Ambassador, we appreciate your time this morning.
To start with, what we heard from the Secretary of State this weekend is that the intent is there; the results are not as much.
What's your response to that?
MARK REGEV, SENIOR ADVISER TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU (via Webex by Cisco): Well, I think he's right. And we have no intention whatsoever to hurt civilians. Our target is the Hamas terrorist organization that brutally killed our people and we want to hit them. And the civilians of Gaza are not our target -- that's clear.
Have we, unfortunately, had too many civilian casualties in this conflict? We have and we regret every single one because our goal is to do that as a -- to minimize as much as is possible civilian casualties. They are not our -- not our target.
If I can add, we are making a maximum effort. We are continuing to make a maximum effort but there hasn't been a conflict in human history where you haven't seen civilians caught up in the crossfire. And while, as a democracy, we're doing everything we can to reduce those casualties, Hamas is doing the opposite. And their strategy of using Gazan civilians as human shields has made our job just so much more difficult.
MATTINGLY: Is it your view -- is it the Israeli government's view that as long as the intent is there the results are just not something that should be considered as important?
REGEV: No, not at all -- not at all. From our point of view, every civilian that is unnecessarily killed -- that's a failure. That's a failure and we have to find ways to minimize that.
[07:40:00]
Look, if you compare Israel to perfection we fall short. We don't want to see a single civilian caught up in the crossfire between the IDF (the Israel Defense Forces ) and the Hamas terrorists.
But I believe when the dust is cleared and this is over, and we compare what Israel has done in Gaza to, let's say, fights against terrorism in places like Iraq and Syria, I think you'll find the IDF compares pretty well.
MATTINGLY: You know Iraq and Syria -- it's interesting that the Secretary of Defense was the commander of Central Command, Lloyd Austin. And he, having a lot of experience in those places, warned of the possibility of turning a tactical victory into a strategic defeat if the scale of what's happening on the ground continues.
Do you agree with that?
REGEV: So, it's important, once again, that we continue to distinguish between combatants and non-combatants -- between innocent civilians and the Hamas terrorists. But ultimately, we think strategically, when this is over and Hamas is no longer in power in Gaza, the civilians of Gaza -- of course, they have historical animosity towards Israel but they can think and they know who started this war. They know who broke the ceasefire and refused to release more hostages.
And I think when this is over, as I say, and the dust has settled, civilians of Gaza -- you'll see this outpouring of pent-up anger against Hamas for bringing this crisis, bringing this tragedy, bringing this destruction upon them.
MATTINGLY: You think that will be the response when the dust settles; not the thousands of lives -- family members, friends, neighborhood destroyed? That won't be the focus.
REGEV: I really think so and I'll you why. Because maybe in Gaza, Israel isn't the most popular country in the world. As I say, there are historical animosities that I can understand. But people have had to evacuate. They've had to leave their home. There's been so much destruction.
And everyone knows -- everyone knows who started this war. Everyone knows that Israel is responding to Hamas' attacks upon us. Everyone knows there was a ceasefire in place -- a humanitarian pause to allow hostages to get released and that Hamas stopped doing so and broke that pause. And so, anyone who can think knows that Hamas is responsible for all the fighting.
MATTINGLY: Do you -- we've been talking about what U.S. officials have been saying publicly. The warnings making very clear the need for humanitarian pauses and aid, as well as the scale of the operations, particularly in the south. But you compare that to the actions being the lone no-vote to veto the U.N. Security Council resolution on late Friday night -- going around Congress to get you emergency defense assistance as well.
What I'm -- I think what I'm trying to figure out is the U.S. is so far out on a limb -- seemingly in isolation, to some degree - staying close to what has long been one of its closest allies -- certainly the closest ally in the region -- are you concerned that you're not delivering your side of the bargain given what the U.S. has been willing to do up to this point?
REGEV: So, maybe there's an assumption in your question that we're somehow arguing with the United States. We're not. We share the same goals -- defeat Hamas and do so in a way that there is minimal collateral damage. We don't want to see Gaza civilians caught up in the crossfire.
But you mention the U.N. vote. First of all, I want to praise the United States for standing up against the automatic anti-Israel majority at the United Nations. We appreciate the American veto. It was the right thing to do. Because that resolution -- that text -- basically, what it did is it gives Hamas a new lease of life. They threw Hamas -- they wanted to throw Hamas a lifeline.
And there is no ceasefire, as even Bernie Sanders has said. There is no ceasefire with Hamas. Hamas is committed to what they call permanent war. Hamas says my country must be destroyed. Hamas says --
MATTINGLY: OK.
REGEV: -- every Israeli civilian, every Jew is a target for murder. There is no ceasefire with Hamas.
MATTINGLY: I do want to ask you before -- one last question. There was a big story in The New York Times over the course of the weekend talking about the money that Qatar was providing to Gaza for assistance. It says that the prime minister signed off on that -- encouraged that money as well. The former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, called on the prime minister to resign based on that.
I guess my question is do you believe or have you found any evidence that any of that money was used to help finance the October 7 attack?
REGEV: So, there's been a lot of criticism of that money and Israel as well because it's almost presented as protection payments -- like, to gangsters.
MATTINGLY: Right.
REGEV: That you give Hamas money and they keep the border quiet. And it was obviously a failed strategy. It was a failed strategy over years by a number of Israeli governments. And maybe while it was working people thought it would work forever.
But this is -- this is the crucial point. Hamas had also economic incentives to keep the peace. Not just that but other things. Workers were coming into Israel to earn salaries. There was reconstruction. There were many good things happening.
[07:45:03]
And Hamas chose to attack, and destroy, and to murder, and to rape, and to burn people alive -- to butcher our people. And that choice by Hamas exposed Hamas for who it really is.
Some people thought Hamas is in power and they're in charge of 2.2 million people. That forces them to be more pragmatic, more moderate -- to be more responsible. No -- Hamas showed its true face on October 7. They are a brutal, extremist, fanatical terrorist organization capable of the most gruesome, awful, horrific violence against innocent human beings.
There is no peace with Hamas. There is peace without Hamas. And when we have succeeded in destroying them it will be better for Israelis for obvious reasons, but it will also be better for the people of Gaza who deserve better than this extremist terrorist government that it has currently got that doesn't give a hoot about their well-being.
MATTINGLY: Ambassador Mark Regev, we appreciate your time. Thank you, sir.
REGEV: Thank you for having me.
HARLOW: A really important, eye-opening interview, Phil.
Ahead, dashcam video that shows this tornado ripping through Tennessee over the weekend. A new report finds there have been more deadly tornadoes this year than any other year in the past decade. The impact of climate change on all of it ahead.
(COMMERCIAL)
[07:50:31]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Walls bursted, the windows bursted. Everything just, like, exploded. That's what it really felt like. It felt like everything exploded. Like, a lot of pressure built up and just popped.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: At least six people are dead and dozens more injured after a series of tornadoes barreled through Tennessee over the weekend. Look at the destruction from the air there. CNN also obtained just this remarkable video that shows a tornado as it is ripping across this road.
Officials are now assessing damage to hundreds of structures and trying to restore electricity to thousands still without power this morning. And officials have identified three victims as Joseph Dalton, Floridema Gabriel Perez, and her 2-year-old son, Anthony Elmer Mendez. Search efforts still going underway right now.
Our chief climate correspondent Bill Weir joins us. Good morning.
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: They found Floridema with her toddler in her arms.
HARLOW: Oh.
WEIR: She was trying to protect him. Just heartbreaking there.
There is very tenuous science about climate change and tornadoes because the data set -- it's only on the ground for so long.
HARLOW: Yeah. WEIR: Although there was one here -- one tornado was on the ground for 40 miles as it ripped through these --
HARLOW: Right.
WEIR: -- suburbs of Nashville now.
But the science seems to be showing that Tornado Alley is shifting south and east. So what was once sort of a center-of-the-country phenomenon is moving towards places like Nashville. And when there's denser populations there, especially mobile homes, you have tragedies like this.
HARLOW: Yeah.
MATTINGLY: Speaking of climate, can I shift to -- we've got 28 of them. I want to talk about this.
WEIR: Sure.
MATTINGLY: COP28 -- it ends tomorrow, I believe. The U.N. warning is still huge gaps between countries on any core central agreement.
WEIR: Right.
MATTINGLY: We've talked about the political, the geopolitical, the industry here. Where does this land when it's all said and done?
WEIR: In the end, it comes down to how do you score this giant event? What do you -- what do you consider victory --
MATTINGLY: Yeah.
WEIR: -- or failure? And it really comes down to is this the year, after almost 30 years of these, when the world decides this is the beginning of the end of fossil fuels -- the kinds of fuels that burn. The root of this problem.
The oil-producing states -- places like Russia and Saudi Arabia -- would rather talk about phasing down fossil fuels and worrying more about emissions and trying to use unproven technology to pull carbon dioxide out of the sky and lock it underground. Only a tiny percentage of emissions has ever been done that way.
And that's really the big battle. It's 80 countries -- the U.S. along with Europe and a lot of smaller, low-lying island nations saying we've got to go all in. We've got to say this is the beginning of the end. And in the end, it -- that probably won't happen. You won't get enough of the big petrol states to buy in on that.
HARLOW: You mentioned last week a number of the attendees at COP28 are members of the fossil fuel -- you know, from all different companies. Actually, the CEO --
WEIR: Yeah.
HARLOW: -- of a big oil company was appointed to lead the talks. They have to be part of the conversation.
The question is how big or small is the chance that this vote when it happens tomorrow is actually going to land on yes, we agree to work toward the end of fossil fuels?
WEIR: You never know. I mean, in Paris, in 2015, it looked like it was dead. There have been various things. So ultimately, we never know. And ultimately, it does matter. After the Paris promise was made, even though it's nonbinding, you saw the incentive for an industry to go that way.
And there is an industrial revolution happening right now that nobody's talking about. It's exploding. It's just not replacing fossil fuels.
So this will be interesting to see how it comes down. People like Al Gore are apoplectic that this is even happening in a -- in a place like Abu Dhabi right now.
HARLOW: Yeah.
WEIR: But we shall see. A lot of focus this year.
HARLOW: Yeah, for sure.
Bill Weir, thank you for always shining a light on it.
WEIR: You bet. Good to see you, guys.
HARLOW: We'll see what happens tomorrow.
MATTINGLY: Well, he's getting more than Messi. Maybe more -- definitely more than Patrick Mahomes. Two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani just signed a massive deal with the Dodgers -- the priciest contract in professional sports.
Our senior data reporter Harry Enten signed a similar contract with CNN. He's got the numbers coming up.
HARLOW: I actually know how much it is -- $700 million.
MATTINGLY: Yeah.
(COMMERCIAL)
[07:58:29]
MATTINGLY: He's got a nasty curveball, his silky -- annoyingly silky smooth swing -- two American League MVPs, and now the richest contract in professional sports. The L.A. Dodgers -- not the Toronto Blue Jays, by the way -- giving Shohei Ohtani a new reason to love L.A. Actually, 700 million new reasons. The deal means the dual-threat superstar is leaving the L.A. Angels after six seasons to join his crosstown rival.
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten is here to break it all down. A lot of money. HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: A lot.
MATTINGLY: I break news on that stuff a lot of times.
What does it actually mean in terms of precedent?
ENTEN: And I want to say I interviewed Ohtani and he said he -- you were his hero. He looked back at your Ohio State days.
MATTINGLY: People are saying that.
ENTEN: People are saying that.
MATTINGLY: Yeah.
ENTEN: I'm making that up.
MATTINGLY: Yeah.
ENTEN: The largest contract in sports history. Look at this. Ohtani, $700 million. That beats the previous record of Mbappe, $679 million; Messi, $674 million. In America, $450 million was the tops. We are well past that with Ohtani now at $700 million.
And just to give you an idea of how much he is making, he is making more per year of playing $70 million than the entire Oakland Athletics team made at the end of the season. Their total payroll was just $62 million. So this is a large chunk of change.
HARLOW: It's not as simple as $70 million each year for 10 years. Is that right?
ENTEN: Yeah, that's right. So essentially, for each year of playing, he gets $70 million. But they may actually put that $70 million -- or that $700 million across many years, well past his paying career. Because Ohtani likely defers a lot of his deal. It may just be $40 million to $50 million per year. So that helps them out on the MLB competitive balance tax and allows the team.
