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Are Powerful Men Being Protected in the Epstein File Release?; Maxwell Seeks Clemency from Trump in Exchange for Testimony; Headlines from Winter Olympics: Vonn Has 'No Regrets,' Women's Hockey in Medal Contention. Aired 6-6:30a ET
Aired February 10, 2026 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:00:05]
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: Today in the group chat, is it a cover-up? Two lawmakers who've seen the raw Epstein files say redactions are protecting powerful men.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are clearly coconspirators in here that they can name.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Ghislaine Maxwell, however, won't talk without a pardon. I'll speak with an Epstein survivor about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, CO-ANCHOR, NBC's "THE TODAY SHOW": We believe our mom is still out there. We need your help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Savannah Guthrie begs for the public's help as the FBI expands their search for Nancy Guthrie.
And with her leg shattered, her spirit is unbroken. What Lindsey Vonn says from a hospital bed about the crash that cut her Olympic dream short.
CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUTHRIE: So, I'm coming on just to ask you, not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Savannah Guthrie not giving up as the search for her mom, Nancy Guthrie, enters day ten.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Audie Cornish, and this is where we begin. No suspects and an hour of desperation. A second deadline has passed from the purported ransom note for Nancy Guthrie. Her potential abductor demanded $6 million in bitcoin by 5 p.m. Monday.
Now, that note, which was sent to media outlets like TMZ, also included a threat to her life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ FOUNDER: There is a direct stark statement about consequences if they didn't get that money. That's all I will say. But it is chilling when you read that sentence. It is short and to the point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: And this morning, the FBI is beefing up personnel. Investigators from field offices across the country are heading to Tucson to help in the search for the 84-year-old.
They still have no suspect or person of interest. The Phoenix field office, echoing Savannah's plea, writing in a statement, quote, "Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home."
Joining me now to discuss, Josh Schirard, former police captain in Galveston, Texas, and Birnau (ph) law enforcement director.
Good morning. Thank you for being with us.
First, I want to get to this idea of what can help. For people who are trying to keep this top of mind, what is a helpful tip? What is a less helpful tip?
SCHIRARD: Really, it's any helpful tip. If you may think that what you saw, if you were in the area in Tucson, may not be helpful; if you think that you're in the neighborhood and saw a car, well, you see cars all night. You see, it's not a -- it's -- it's not out of the norm or unusual, anything like that can be extraordinarily helpful.
Anything -- anytime you may have seen what you thought had been Nancy on that day or the day before, or, you know, the days after her disappearance can be helpful.
It's never one tip. It's never one piece of evidence that is the proverbial smoking gun in these cases. It's always an amalgamation, a conglomerate of tips, of pieces of evidence that all can be pieced together to lead investigators to a suspect or to finding this person.
So, it's all these little things that people may think are inconsequential that can absolutely help break this case.
CORNISH: Now, in the meantime, the sheriff's department appears to be taking a step back, writing on social media that no press briefings have been scheduled, that they still don't have a suspect.
I want to play this comment from a former New York police detective who said this to us on air.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL ALCAZAR, FORMER NEW YORK POLICE DETECTIVE: News outlets have been in the crime scene which has now contaminated the crime scene, which just makes it a little bit harder to process. Because now you have more DNA, more fingerprints, more footprints in the crime scene.
So, I think they may have probably dropped the ball a little bit in releasing that crime scene too early.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Is this something you're hearing from other folks, as well, as they're watching the scene, all these images?
SCHIRARD: Look, we heard the sheriff in the last formal press conference that he have, you know, take some accountability. His words. He said, mea culpa on -- on releasing the crime scene early, before the FBI really got there to provide him with some guidance and really start to get down into the investigation.
Is it going to make prosecutorial efforts harder down the line? Possibly.
But right now the focus is on finding Nancy, trying to bring her home safely.
[06:05:10]
So, if we can get some evidence that points us there and -- and lets us achieve that, the primary goal, the first goal, then that's great. And then at that point, we can worry about, yes, was this contaminated evidence? Are we going to be able to use this in court later to try to bring someone to justice? But that's a challenge for another day down the line.
You know, the primary goal: getting Nancy home, find out if we have a suspect and see if we can -- we can find her whereabouts.
SCHIRARD: The last thing we were hearing from Harvey Levin, the founder of TMZ, who was saying that she would be returned but look, saying that he believed there was a wider radius of which she might be. What does that mean for an investigation if they're having now to spread into other states?
SCHIRARD: You know, 20 years ago, that would have made a lot of difference. When we looked at missing person investigations, when we -- when we were trying to find an individual or suspect, it was a lot about boots on ground. It was how many people we could put there, how wide that search area needed to be.
In today's age, with technology where it is and information at our fingertips, a lot of times, those searches are much more digital and involve a much more technological aspect than they did back then.
So, as this search widens, the search may continue to widen, but digitally and using the information that we have, it's not nearly as labor intensive as you might think. So, while we're widening the search kind of spreading out the wings a little bit on where we're looking, it's -- a lot of that is going to be done through surveillance, through flock cameras, all of those -- all those technological aspects at hand.
SCHIRARD: OK. That's Josh Schirard. Thank you so much for your analysis.
Coming up on CNN THIS MORNING, low morale, long hours, missing paychecks. We're going to talk to the reporter who saw inside the forum where ICE agents complain about their jobs.
Plus, the last leg of a 2,300-mile journey. Buddhist monks on the move.
And did the Justice Department redact the names of powerful men in the Epstein files? Lawmakers who have viewed the files think so, and the group chat's got thoughts, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These individuals were involved in crimes, or at least knew about crimes. And again, I'm not able to explain why they were redacted in a way that's consistent [SIC] with the law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:11:46]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): What I saw that bothered me were the names of at least six men that have been redacted, that are likely incriminated by their inclusion in these files.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Republican Congressman Thomas Massie says the Justice Department is protecting the identities of six powerful men tied to the Epstein files. And the attorney for Ghislaine Maxwell says his client can clear two other powerful men in exchange for clemency: President Trump and former President Clinton.
So, in a virtual deposition with the House Oversight Committee Monday, Maxwell basically said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GHISLAINE MAXWELL, CONVICTED SEX TRAFFICKER: I therefore invoke my right to silence under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I invoke my Fifth Amendment right to silence.
I invoke my Fifth Amendment right to silence.
I invoke my Fifth Amendment right to silence.
I invoke my Fifth Amendment right to silence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Needless to say, Maxwell stayed silent. And her lawyer had a message for the president. In a statement, he said, quote, "Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump. Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing. Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why."
Joining me now in the group chat, Tal Kopan, deputy D.C. bureau chief for "The Boston Globe"; Mike Dubke, former Trump White House communications director; and Maria Cardona, CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist.
OK, Dubke, you won't like this, but I'm starting with you.
MIKE DUBKE, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Always.
CORNISH: Because as we when we saw in that image right underneath at GOP Oversight Committee, OK? So, every time you see her saying, Sorry, sorry, not saying anything, not saying anything, you can know that this is kind of this Republican committee's oversight.
What do you make of how they came out and talked about these files?
DUBKE: Well, first of all, I want to talk about the ultimate tease here by her lawyer, which was, if granted clemency, she can come out and explain why Donald Trump and -- and Bill Clinton is not at any -- in any way responsible here.
I mean, I think they're playing it -- So, there's two games that are being played here. One is with -- with her. And you know that the -- you know, using the -- your Fifth Amendment rights here. I -- it always bothers me. And no offense to the -- to the clip here.
CORNISH: Yes.
DUBKE: But that is a right that we have.
CORNISH: Yes. But --
DUBKE: So, she is guilty as sin. However --
CORNISH: The context of her --
DUBKE: -- she has the right to do it.
CORNISH: She's a convicted sex trafficker who is in a minimal security prison now, after speaking with Todd Blanche.
DUBKE: Yes.
CORNISH: So, she feels -- correct me if I'm wrong -- that she is in a position to ask this administration for even more.
TAL KOPAN, DEPUTY D.C. BUREAU CHIEF, "THE BOSTON GLOBE": Well, I look at it from the perspective of, you know, I certainly don't even play a lawyer on TV, let alone am I a lawyer.
But you know, when -- when you put someone on the -- on the stand, right, a jury is asked to assess their credibility. And this is someone who has been convicted of heinous crimes, has already shown that she's on the hunt for favors from this administration. As you mentioned, getting moved to a better prison.
And now, she's outright saying, Give me clemency, and I'll tell you exactly what you want to hear.
[06:15:04]
I mean, I don't think that exactly speaks to a whole lot of credibility. And I think at least many members of Congress see that. And you know, hopefully the -- the public is -- is seeing that, as well.
CORNISH: Here's Representative Jasmine Crockett, obviously running for office. Here's what she said after this hearing on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JASMINE CROCKETT (D-TX): The fact that this woman is continuing to invoke the Fifth Amendment tells us exactly what my colleagues have already stated. She is a monster. She does not care. She has no remorse. She is not seeking to bring about some kind of closure for these women. She doesn't care.
And frankly, it seems like this administration overall does not care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: This brings up the same point, though, that Mike did, right, that this is your constitutional right?
MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: True. But the -- she's not wrong. Crockett is not wrong about this in terms of -- of Ghislaine Maxwell.
To me, that whole performance -- because that's what it was; it was very performative -- was a waste of time. Because did we actually think that she was going to say anything different?
And to me, it's yet another step for Republicans to continue to drag this out, to continue to try to keep the files from the American people, to continue to -- to, I think, maintain suffering for the survivors who are -- are the ones who need and -- and deserve justice here.
CORNISH: Do you think --
DUBKE: I'm going to quickly disagree.
CORNISH: Do you think the administration will give her clemency?
DUBKE: No.
CARDONA: Oh, my God.
DUBKE: Absolutely not.
CORNISH: I don't know. You end it, right? She comes out and says he's clear. Maybe --
DUBKE: No, no.
CARDONA: I know, exactly.
DUBKE: Look, the -- I -- I totally agree with you on the pain and suffering aspect of your answer.
What I -- what I will say -- and this goes back, and I always like to actually answer the question you ask, Audie.
CORNISH: Please do.
DUBKE: I think the fact that the GOP majority is continuing to have these hearings is not hiding the ball here. They are not trying to create a situation in which they're pushing this away. They're actually moving it forward.
And you had to have her on camera taking the fifth in order to get to the next step here.
CORNISH: I think the reason why people doubt that is because, when you look across the pond, you know, in Poland and Lithuania, in the U.K. this is, like, some governments are struggling. I mean, Keir Starmer.
CARDONA: Yes.
CORNISH: There, the opposition party is moving the ball forward comparatively.
Here's Ro Khanna talking about this yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): You have the British monarchy having to answer questions. I mean, the king of England is putting out statements.
And yet, in our country, we have not had that reckoning. People in power, whether they're in government, whether they're in finance, whether they're in technology, if they have been implicated in the files in morally embarrassing ways and in ways that shock the conscience, should be held accountable, and it should be regardless of party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: In the U.S., we have seen, for instance, high-profile attorneys, some just high-profile embarrassments for someone like Bill gates. But are we going to see what they are deeming or describing as a reckoning?
KOPAN: Well, you pointed to other countries. I mean, in those countries, we're seeing actual consequences.
And I think the reason that the Epstein files have become such a phenomenon, so to speak, in this country, that people have become so invested in, they want to see it, is this notion, I mean, yes, horrible things occurred to many women.
But it's also this notion that, for so many years, people were getting away with this. They knew about it. This sense that they got away with it, because they were powerful and they had money.
And why people want to see the files is they want some evidence that in this country you can't get away with whatever, because you're powerful and wealthy.
And so, when you see other countries start to reckon with, OK, what do we do with these powerful people that are now implicated? Maybe we can't charge them with a crime based on what we see, but we can certainly say, you don't deserve these privileges or these responsibilities.
And that's what we've been missing in the U.S., is that sort of consequence for -- for getting away.
CORNISH: OK, you guys stay with me. We're actually going to have an Epstein survivor on later in the show.
After the break on CNN THIS MORNING, a case that captured the nation. Could Alex Murdaugh's double homicide conviction be overturned?
Plus, the U.S. women's hockey team on a roll today. They take on their biggest rival, Canada. And as we go to break, a live look from Milan, home of the Winter Olympics.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [06:23:42]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Harvey cuts behind the Switzerland goal, dropping it off for a Heise score! The redirect.
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CORNISH: The U.S. Women's Hockey Team beating Switzerland 5 to 0 to remain undefeated in the preliminary round of the Winter Olympics. Today, they go head-to-head with Canada. As the hockey team keeps going for gold, the country's biggest ski star, Lindsey Vonn, says she has no regrets about doing the same earlier this week.
Her mid-race crash Sunday left her with her left leg fractured, which will require multiple surgeries. Just over a week prior, she had tore her ACL.
In a social media post, she said, quote, "I tried, I dreamt, I jumped. Life is too short not to take chances on yourself, because the only failure in life is not trying."
CNN sports analyst and "USA Today" sports columnist Christine Brennan joins me live from Milan. Welcome, Christine. I'm very jealous of this assignment.
Tell me a little bit about what Lindsey Vonn had to say, because I have to admit, I was quite jarred seeing her being airlifted from the mountain.
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Oh, I think you and millions of other people, Audie. Great to be with you.
Although the good news there is that they do airlift people off the mountain, because there's no other way to get them off. So, Lindsey Vonn has been airlifted hundreds of times over the years.
Nonetheless, no -- no sugar coating how difficult this was and the injuries that she has.
[06:25:04]
You know what? The post on Instagram, people can see it. I just looked a few minutes ago: 1.2 million likes on it already. And I think it will grow.
Talking about going for it, trying. You know, you dream, you leap, you jump. Life is short. You know, it's one of those things that probably could be on a Hallmark card, except coming from her at this moment, as she's in a hospital bed at age 41, won the gold medal in this event 16 years ago.
I was on the mountain in Vancouver, outside of Vancouver covering it. And I think it's very powerful.
CORNISH: Yes.
BRENNAN: It's a very powerful message for women.
CORNISH: Can I ask a question, though?
BRENNAN: For women and men.
CORNISH: Yes, I was thinking about this --
BRENNAN: Sure. CORNISH: -- in the context of Simone Biles, when she was like sort of pulled back from the sport, because she was concerned about her health. And she was kind of excoriated -- right? -- for, like, quitting. It feels like we're constantly sending the message, play through.
BRENNAN: Well, certainly, Lindsey Vonn is sending that message, Audie. And you've got a great point.
The flip side with Simone -- and it was horrible the way she was treated in social media. I was in Tokyo, you know, certainly reporting on that story and talking about it.
You know, I do think that the conversation did turn. And Simone Biles was seen in a very positive light. I don't think either is wrong. Right?
For -- for Lindsey Vonn, it made perfect sense. She hurdles herself down the mountain. She checks herself out of the hospital, comes back. That's what she does. That works for her.
For Simone Biles, I think also, because she's younger, she speaks to a much younger audience that's grown up around social media. So, as a role model for those young people, Simone Biles is fantastic to talk about stepping back.
So, I think both messages are probably important. Empowerment from Lindsey Vonn; and be smart about your mental health, among many other wonderful messages from Simone Biles.
CORNISH: I want to talk about the U.S. versus Canada, women's hockey. I feel like any time its U.S.-Canada hockey, it's like a whole thing. And then, given the geopolitical tensions, I'm sure that's not improved. How excited are people to see this match-up?
BRENNAN: You're right. I mean, the women's hockey, there have been -- this is the eighth time in the Olympics. Seven previous times the gold medal was won by either Canada, five times; or the U.S., two times.
This is the great battle. Why? Because both nations have invested in women's sports. We have Title IX in the United States over 50 years old. The Canadians have always cared about women playing sports, especially their national sport, hockey.
So, that's what this is about. I agree with you. We are seeing that overture, that overlay -- better word -- overlay of the tensions because of the Trump administration and the volatile and fraught foreign policy.
We saw it with the booing, significant booing of J.D. Vance after robust cheering for the U.S. team, once Vance appeared on the big screen at the opening ceremony.
We've certainly seen it in other ways, as well.
You know, most of these players know each other very well. They've grown up together. They played in college together, U.S.-Canada. So, they're friends, but they're also, of course, wanting to -- as rivals, wanting to just, you know, beat each other in a huge statement game today.
CORNISH: Last thing before I let you go. What's the deal with the Olympic medals breaking apart; ribbons snapping? I mean, what is going on?
BRENNAN: Come on, Italy. Come on, Milan-Cordina.
CORNISH: Is it Italy's fault, or is it like the Olympic committee? Like, who makes the medals? Womp-womp.
BRENNAN: Well, the -- certainly they are. The design is all about the local organizing committee. And so, every, every -- like, L.A. is already working on their design for 2028.
You know, they had a problem with the medal podium in figure skating team competition. They didn't put down a soft surface, a carpet, and a lot of the skate blades got scuffed up, of the medal. The gold medalist, silver and bronze. The U.S. won the gold there, and the and the skaters had to get their skates either sharpened again.
That cannot happen. That is a huge swing and a miss by the organizers of, in that case, the figure skating.
So, Audie, I think we're seeing that here. What's happened is that the -- the weight of the medal is just breaking off from the ribbon. Again, you've got to test that out.
So, this is something -- you know, I've covered a lot of these. This has never happened before. As -- the Italians need to figure this out and get a, I guess, a stronger substance to hold the medal.
Because the last thing any of these medalists want is for this medal that they have worked for their whole lives, for this moment, to go crashing to the floor.
And we've seen a few: Alysa Liu, for example, the figure skater, has shown that hers broke off, as well.
CORNISH: Yes.
BRENNAN: So, yes, it's -- it's a little thing, but it gets a lot of attention, clearly. And it's something they need to fix immediately.
CORNISH: Also, it's Italy. I'm pretty sure they can get ahead of some stronger textiles. That's kind of the whole thing.
Christine Brennan, thanks so much.
BRENNAN: My pleasure. Thank you.
CORNISH: Straight ahead on CNN THIS MORNING, Ghislaine Maxwell wants clemency, and her attorney says she will clear Donald Trump's name to get it. I'm going to be talking to a survivor of Epstein's abuse next about what she makes of that proposal.
Plus, we're live from Arizona with the latest in the search for Nancy Guthrie.
[06:30:00]
