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CNN This Morning

President's Son Convicted In Federal Gun Trial; Today: Biden Heads To Italy Ahead Of Annual G7 Meeting; 6 Million People Under Flood Threats In South Florida. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired June 12, 2024 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:38]

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: It's Wednesday, June 12th.

Right now on CNN THIS MORNING:

Hunter Biden guilty on all counts. The president's standing by his son, while some Republicans tried to politicize the verdict, and start peddling conspiracy theories.

Republicans reportedly having second thoughts about voting to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt.

And hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza fading after Hamas apparently rejects a deal that Israel already accepted.

(MUSIC)

HUNT: All right, 5:00 a.m. here in Washington, a live look at Capitol Hill early on this Wednesday morning.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. It's wonderful to have you with us.

For the first time in American history, the child of a sitting president has been convicted of a crime. A jury in Delaware finding Hunter Biden guilty on all three felony charges, two, for lying about his drug use on a federal background check, a third, possessing -- for possessing a gun while addicted to or using illegal drugs.

The verdict ended a very stressful week and a half for the Biden family. The trial exposing painful details about the extent of Hunters drug use.

The president embracing his just convicted son on a tarmac in Wilmington shortly after the verdict was handed down, the president releasing the statement, quote, as I said last week, I am the president, but I am also a dad, Jill and I love our son and we are so proud of the man he is today.

He added: As I also said, last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal.

Reaction came in quickly from across Capitol Hill. Here's a little bit from both sides of the aisle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But, Mr. Speaker, you've been saying two tier system of justice for some time. Here's the president's son being convicted on three counts. Does that undercut your claims?

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It doesn't. Every case is different and clearly, the evidence was overwhelming here. I don't think that's the case in the Trump trial.

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): I've not heard a single Democrat anywhere in the country cry fraud, cry fixed, cry rigged, cry kangaroo court. You don't hear a single peep out of any Democrats saying that. Why? We believe in the rule of law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: All right. Joining us now to discuss, Stef Kight, political reporter for "Axios".

Stef, good morning to you. Thank you so much for being here.

STEF KIGHT, POLITICAL REPORTER, AXIOS: Good morning.

HUNT: How would you characterize what we're hearing in reaction to this conviction? We've got a little taste there from each side.

KIGHT: Yeah, it's an interesting Democrats have certainly been kind of sticking to the talking point that no one is above the law and they've been pretty muted in their response or certainly not rushing to the defense of Hunter right now. They're just saying we need to trust the justice system.

Now, on the other side, I think it's been interesting to see how Republicans are responding to this because, of course, we've heard from some that they are opposed to certain gun laws and they've been using that as one reason to kind of push back on the Hunter conviction here.

And we've also seen Republicans say, yeah, maybe they found him guilty in this situation, but this isn't enough. We've heard from example -- for example, James Comer calling for more investigation into Biden family members. So we're seeing them take this and demand more, certainly not, you know, cheering this very loudly from Republicans.

HUNT: Yeah. I mean, the way Republicans are -- I mean, in some ways, they're almost downplaying it.

This was Matt Gaetz, who, of course, has been, you know, doesn't exactly shy away from saying inflammatory things. He writes this, the Hunter Biden gun conviction is kind of dumb to be honest, TBH.

And then, Marjorie Taylor Greene says that what we really should be focused on, quote/unquote, remains untouched and then she says Hunter Biden just became the deep state sacrificial lamb to show that justice is balanced, while the other Biden crimes remain ignored. She's of course, talking about the sprawling impeachment investigation into the president via some of the business activities of his son, that ultimately showed -- have so far failed to turn up anything extraordinarily incriminating. It does put them in a little bit of a difficult spot when they are saying what they're saying about former President Trump's conviction.

[05:05:02]

KIGHT: Exactly. I mean, the reality is this does undermine some of their arguments that they've been making for the past several years, that the Justice Department, that justice system is biased against conservatives and that Trump is a victim of this. And now, we have Hunter Biden, the son of the sitting president, a Democrat and a very Democratic state who is still being found guilty of federal charges. And so, that doesn't quite neatly fit into this narrative that Republicans have been spinning four, again since 2015, 2016.

And so, we're seeing them trying to get around on that, of course. And one of the ways they're trying to get around this is by saying, oh, see, this was just to make people forget about how bad the case was against Trump. They're pointing to this as, you know, politically motivated, still even now, because again, they need to explain this away. How can if the justice system is so rigged, how can Hunter Biden still be found guilty in a Democratic state.

HUNT: So in terms of the president himself, I mean, clearly the statement that they put out focused on his role as a dad, you obviously was on camera when he embraced Hunter there after this all came down, he did not go to the trial, but his wife, the first lady, Jill Biden, attended every single day.

I mean, what do you hear from sources about how the stress of going through this has affected them as they are -- you know, the president's campaigning for reelection?

KIGHT: Yeah, I mean, there's no question that Joe Biden cares a lot about his family. It's a very close-knit family and there's no question that that Hunters ongoing issues with addiction and then these criminal cases have impacted him. He is invested.

The fact that we did see him immediately helicopter to Delaware to see Hunter after this decision came through shows that he is invested in this. The fact that the first lady was there and you know, every -- every day at this trial, this is going to impact the family emotionally and its going to impact Joe Biden as he is trying to run for reelection in a very closely contested race.

Whether we see this actually impact 2024 is still an open question. There's no polling that indicates that voters are necessarily going to change their minds around this. But I do think the biggest impact this could have is on Joe Biden's focus and how he's willing to campaign and whether he's willing to set this aside and really focus on what needs to be done. HUNT: I mean, look, like presidential campaign is a crucible and anything that distracts you has the potential to really kind of effect things from a very -- and he's got this trial coming up in September on tax issues, Hunter does, which is, of course, very squarely in the political calendar.

Steph, thank you, I really appreciate you start us off this morning.

KIGHT: Thank you.

HUNT: All right. Coming up next here, President Biden heading out on another international trip today.

Plus, the southern state with almost a months worth of rain in a single day, and more is coming.

Plus, the matchup is set to one the most important Senate races of the year. We'll bring you that.

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[05:12:24]

HUNT: All right. Welcome back.

President Biden traveling to Italy this morning ahead of the annual G7 summit that starts tomorrow. He'll be meeting with the leaders of France and Germany. Both leaders reeling from heavy defeats in recent European parliamentary elections.

Also, Prime Minister -- British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, he is in the grips of a political storm himself, as they all face stiff domestic competition and similar challenges to staying in power.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RISHI SUNAK, UK PRIME MINISTER: I will earn your trust and I will prove to you that only a conservative government led by me will not put our hard-earned economic stability at risk.

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): This is a situation that I cannot come to terms, with the rise of nationalists, of demagogues, is a danger for our nation.

DAVID MUIR, ABC NEWS ANCHOR: What do you think you need to accomplish are that debate stage?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have to hear what he says, remind people what he says, and what I believe what he believes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: All right. Joining me now is CNN's Max Foster live from London.

Max, good morning to you. You know, as I watch this and think about kind of what's unfolding across Europe. But also here in the U.S. -- well, "Politico" wrote it this way. Let's -- let's read from it.

Quote: The three liters or dramatically changing the plot and facing their issues head-on. Basically, they argue that the establishment politicians in this case are trying to hold up a global order that is fraying, particularly because of challenges, doesn't totally apply to Rishi Sunak on the right. But for the Germans, the French, and, of course, Biden here at home with Trump, it is trying to take on this kind of rising nationalism.

How do you look at all of this and what's the conversation like heading into the G7?

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Well, I think, you know, Rishi Sunak is facing the same thing because whilst the left wing Labour Party is expected to win the election, is the fact that the far right Reform Party is taken so many votes away from Rishi Sunak's conservative party.

So while he is on the right and the other two are sort of center-left, they're all in the center and they're all facing a real threat from the right. The idea, I think bringing things forward, Macron and Sunak bringing on these elections much earlier than people expected. Biden going into the debates many people expected, I think is this the theory that if you appeal to the rational side of people with serious policies, then you'll be able to argue that over a longer period of time before people actually go to the polls.

[05:15:04]

But, you know, I think the right is very successfully, certainly here in Europe, argue that, you know, it's a bizarre one because they're basically arguing around cost of living, inflation, people can't afford things. So therefore, you need to hunker down stop immigration, stopped sending money to Ukraine, you know, stop paying for the environment, which is that idea of the cost of living crisis has always been an argument the left has used successfully in the past and now, the right is using it.

So many people are seeing it really as a failure of the left in many ways, but it's also a big challenge for the center ground.

HUNT: Yeah. No, it's really interesting way to look at it. I mean, I would also say, I mean, one of the things that is big picture different here and challenging is the security situation, right? I mean, the -- there's an isolationist tendency to the Trump situation here in the U.S. quite frankly, really affects how the us will interact with NATO, European security. I mean, there are Russian warships doing drills 30 miles off the coast of Florida that the U.S. military is monitoring right now.

And, of course, there's discussion about how this fits into the recent U.S. decision to allow us weapons to be used across the border with Russia. All of that kind of looming over these leaders as they meet, no?

FOSTER: Absolutely. And, you know, this is probably says more about Russia, doesn't it, this -- these ships than it does about the U.S. So, it's Russia showing its global presence and it's coming through on everything, isn't it?

HUNT: Right. But they've been trying to undermine -- they've been trying to kind of -- there's evidence that they've been trying to encourage and stoke some of this race wing political activity to try and split the West and reduce the security power across the board of the West, no?

FOSTER: Yeah, its all about creating divisions in the west so they can fill that vacuum with their own or authority, and these ships are really a visualization all of that.

Certainly, you know, in terms of isolationism, it does come into the right-wing debate here in Europe as it does into America, because it's that question about, do we support Ukraine or do we not support Ukraine? Do we focus our own internal issues?

So, it all plays into the same thing. So, certainly, in terms of Putin's and Xi's wider strategy to assert themselves and fill the vacuum on the global stage, the right-wing helps because it brings all the Western allies into a more national frame of mind if you like, and less involved in international affairs are.

HUNT: They're all very interesting.

All right, Max Foster for us live in London -- Max, always great to have you. Thank you.

All right. Coming up next, Senate Democrats move to pass a Supreme Court ethics bill. Does it stand a chance?

Plus, the mystery winner of Michigan's $800,000,000 lottery jackpot finally revealed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:28]

HUNT: All right, 21 minutes past the hour. Here's your morning roundup.

Atlanta police say three people are injured after a mass shooting in the food port of the visit Peachtree Center on Tuesday. An off duty officer shot the suspect, a convicted felon.

Senate Democrats hoping to pass a Supreme Court ethics bill this week. Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin admitting the vote is basically a message -- messaging exercise that will ultimately be blocked by Republicans.

A six month mystery solved in Grand Blanc, Michigan, three people who call themselves the Breakfast Club coming forward to collect an 842, excuse me, million dollars Powerball jackpot from New Year's Day. They chose a lump payout of $305 million dollars after taxes. All three say they still plan to live in central Michigan, but will be buying second homes in Florida. Congrats to them.

All right. Time now for weather.

Lingering heat and the west moving into the Central Plains today and South Florida bracing for more wet weather with Sarasota seeing nearly a months worth of rain on a single Tuesday.

Our meteorologist Elisa Raffa tracking the systems for us.

Elisa, good morning.

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.

Some of those images out of Sarasota have been really incredible with some of that range just inundated the area more than six inches falling incredibly quickly. It does amount to about a months worth of rain.

We still have some showers right now stretching from Fort Myers, some showers and thunderstorms getting into the peninsula there. But well get some of the rain totals from the last 48 hours. How heavy this swath has been across parts of south Florida. And then in Sarasota, where four to seven inches of rain fell incredibly quickly, that we actually broke a record for the amount of rain that fell in just one hour, nearly four inches of rain in an hour in Sarasota, that breaks a record for the heaviest hourly rainfall.

The rain continues. We've got flash flood watches in effect through at least Thursday for a lot of the peninsula as we could continue to get a good four inches of rain or so four to six inches of rain still possible from Fort Myers to four peers, even down to Miami as we go through the end of the workweek.

We also still have the heat that's been pumping out west from Las Vegas to Phoenix, still with some excessive heat warnings as we go through the day today as their 100-day streak continues, as we go through the next couple of days. I mean, look at these temperatures are still much above average for this time of year. It is early to see heat like this, temperatures up around 110 through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, in Phoenix, the same thing up in Las Vegas.

[05:25:04]

As we go through the rest of the week, some of this heat is going to start to spread east. Look at some of the heat impacts as we get into Monday, looking at extreme heat impacts and the heart of the Midwest, looking at temperature is getting close to 100 degrees. Again, very early for this type of heat, Kasie.

HUNT: Early indeed.

All right. Elisa Raffa for us, thank you very much.

Coming up next here, Hunter Biden found guilty, but one juror says he doesn't want to see him do jail time.

Plus, in just a few hours, the House is scheduled to vote on holding Merrick Garland in contempt. What happen?

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[05:30:00]