Return to Transcripts main page

Erin Burnett Outfront

Three People Now Accuse Hastert of Sexual Abuse; Police Looking At Third Man in Boston Terror Plot; Colorado in Fear Over Possible Sniper on Loose; U.S. Undercover Agents Could Be Exposed, Blackmailed. Aired 7-7:30p ET

Aired June 05, 2015 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:09] ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, breaking news on this Friday. Accusations tonight that former House Speaker Dennis Hastert abused three victims during his time as a boys high school wrestling coach. Will more come forward?

Plus, the Obama administration scrambling to grasp the magnitude of what could be the biggest hack ever of the U.S. government. Are the lives of American undercover agents around the world at risk?

And an OUTFRONT investigation tonight, the TSA wasting billions and billions of your money on useless equipment and bad training. The numbers are staggering. Let's go OUTFRONT.

And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. We begin with the breaking news OUTFRONT tonight, CNN learning that there are now three people accusing former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert of sexual abuse while he was a boys wrestling coach.

And tonight we know the name of one of the alleged victims, a woman has come forward telling ABC News that her brother, Steven Reinboldt who were going to show you here in Yearbook photos with Dennis Hastert endured years of sexual abuse at the hands of the former House Speaker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOLENE BURDGE, SISTER OF STEVEN REINBOLDT: I asked him Steve, when was your first same sex experience, I mean he just looked at me and said it was with Dennis Hastert.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Now, Reinboldt died of AIDS in 1995. When he was the teenager, he was the equipment manager for Hastert's wrestling team at Yorkville High School. That's in Illinois. Now, Dennis Hastert so far has been silent since the ugly charges have come to light, but that is about to end. CNN was on the ground today in Yorkville talking with people who knew both Hastert and Steven Reinboldt. And for years many in Yorkville held Hastert once one of the most powerful people in the United States in the highest regard.

Chris Frates is OUTFRONT live tonight in Chicago. And Chris, what are you learning tonight? CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell

you Erin, it's another day and more victims of sexual abuse allegedly by Dennis Hastert. Last week Hastert remember was charged with lying to the FBI and trying to hide hush money he paid to an unnamed victim. Now, sources tell CNN that the victim was a former male student at the high school where Hastert taught before getting into politics. As part of their investigation into Hastert, the FBI has also talked to a second person who alleged to be a victim of Hastert's abuse. But this person was not receiving any money from Hastert according to a source. And then today, the sister of one of Hastert's former students is telling ABC News that Hastert abused her brother throughout his high school career. Steve Reinboldt was abused by Hastert in the late '60s and early '70s while Hastert was a high school wrestling coach and Reinboldt was the team's equipment manager. According to his sister. Now, Hastert denied the allegations when ABC first raised them in 2006. But Hastert hasn't made a public statement, Erin, since he was indicted last week and he's scheduled to make his first court appearance here in Chicago on Tuesday -- Erin.

BURNETT: And I mean, it's incredible when you lay it out like this that for so long that this was not the discussed and not in the public eye. That there are this many people out there, if these allegations are true that no one knew. I mean, and that is a big question, Chris. Why would these allegations all be coming out now?

FRATES: Well, I think the big question was the hush money. And why was Dennis Hastert paying somebody for past misdeeds and once we started to look into what that might be, we got on this trail of sexual be abuse. And remember back in 2006, there was a big scandal on Capitol Hill. A republican lawmaker named Mark Foley had sent inappropriate texts to pages, high school interns on Capitol Hill, and Hastert was rumored to have turned a blind eye to that. Now, the sister of Steven Reinboldt said she tried to go to the media and authorities back in 2006, but there wasn't enough corroboration. But with this indictment, that allowed this to be rehashed and now we're finding Erin that there are now more victims in fact allegedly of sexual harassment by Dennis Hastert who was only second in line to the presidency, a very powerful man just only a few years ago -- Erin.

BURNETT: I mean, it is incredible to imagine. And as we said, here at CNN tonight, we now know that there are three accusers and the question is of course, whether there will be more. As you point out, Chris, Dennis Hastert once second in line to the American presidency and he coached that high school boys wrestling team before launching his majorly successful political career. How big could this dark and disturbing scandal be? Investigators tonight are focusing in on that high school, Yorkville High School, and every student that Hastert coached or taught.

Jeff Zeleny is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[19:05:21] JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Look at Dennis Hastert in this 1968 year book from Yorkville High School in Illinois. It says enjoys athletics and working with young people. He even accompanied explorers on a weeklong address venture in the Bahamas. But a different picture of Hastert is now emerging with new allegations from a former student who says her brother was sexually abused by Hastert.

BURDGE: He damaged Steve I think more than any of us will ever know.

ZELENY: Jolene Burdge says her brother Steven Reinboldt was a student and equipment manager on Hastert's wrestling team. She told ABC News her brother confided in her about the abuse years later when he revealed he was gay.

BURDGE: I asked him, Steve, when was your first same sex experience? I mean, he just looked at me and said it was with Dennis Hastert. And I just -- I know I was stunned. I said why didn't you ever tell anybody, Steven. He just looked at me and said, who is ever going to believe me.

ZELENY: Reinboldt died in 1995, so his story cannot be independently verified. She was approached by the FBI in recent weeks about Hastert before his indictment became public. He faces charges of bank fraud and lying to the FBI about hush money paid to another former student who was also allegedly abused. The Justice Department says he agreed to pay $3.5 million to cover up past misconduct. And CNN has learned the FBI has also spoken to at least one more person in addition to Burdge who may have been a victim. Hastert was a coach and Boy Scout leader before coming to Washington in 1987. He game the longest serving republican speaker leading Congress in 2007. He's been in hiding since the charges were announced last week. His attorney has not responded to requests for comment. But Hastert did deny the abuse allegations to ABC when they first arose in 2006. Jolene Burdge said she confronted Hastert when he tried to attend her brother's funeral.

BURDGE: I just looked at him and I said, I want to know why you did what you did to my brother. I want you to know that your secret didn't die in there with my brother.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENY: Now, she did not respond to messages today from CNN. On her Facebook page, she posted a story about Hastert with this note. I can say with absolute certainty there is so much more to this story. Finally the truth. Now Hastert is set to appear in court in Chicago next week -- Erin.

BURNETT: All right. And of course he will break his silence in some way then. Jeff, thank you.

I want to bring in now our legal analyst Paul Callan. And Stacey Honowitz, a sex crimes prosecutor. Stacey, let me start with you. According to the victim's sister who we just saw there. Hastert was a mentor to her brother. Her brother called him a friend. I would suppose that doesn't surprise you.

STACEY HONOWITZ, SEX CRIMES PROSECUTOR: No, I mean, Erin, we see so many of these stories. I mean, you saw it with Sandusky as recent as that case where lots of times people in these positions, coaches, teachers, they take these kids under their wing, they groom them, they spend money on them, they trust them. And they do this all in an effort to have a relationship. And so it's not unusual that we're seeing this and I'm sure we're going to see many more victims come forward now that one person has been able to go to the press and actually talk about it.

BURNETT: So Paul, what about that question, in these cases where there is one, are there almost always many? I mean, in the Sandusky case of course, it went from one to a whole slew of boys.

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I was talking today to the head sex crimes prosecutor in San Diego, Wendy Murphy, who was telling me that almost always many more come out of the woodwork when the first one has the courage to come forward. Because you have to understand, these are children who are afraid they will going to be humiliated and who would believe them. But when one person has the courage to come forward or as in this case when authorities, you know, have revealed this plot, frequently many more victims do come forward.

BURNETT: But then some people will say, well, is some of this opportunistic. I mean, are people, you know, I mean, which is an awful thing to say, but yet you must ask the question. I mean, how can it be proved this many years later.

CALLAN: Well, it is why we have statutes of limitation in the prosecution of criminal cases. Because fairness requires that a defendant be able to defend himself.

BURNETT: Right.

CALLAN: And find out when was I supposed to do this because maybe I wasn't even in the building at the time. So, it's a really hard struggle to find a way to be fair about this.

BURNETT: But you think that they will be able to move ahead in some of these cases, despite the statute of limitations?

CALLAN: Well, I think that there's at least a possibility that others will come forward but I have to say one other thing that we have to consider here. It may very well be that many of his adult relationships if he's had multiple relationships have been with other adults. How do we know -- we haven't had a diagnosis that he's a pedophile. So until we're certain of that, maybe the other victims they were consensual relationships.

[19:10:08] BURNETT: So Stacey, let me ask you on that point, the pedophilia point that Paul is raising, we don't know the age of all of these accusers at this point. We do know one of them is a teenage boy. It seemed the others might be but we don't know at this point.

HONOWITZ: Yes.

BURNETT: You look at his relationships later in life and they are with consenting adults, maybe some of them male, some of them female, is that the profile of someone who is a pedophile? I mean, how does that add up?

HONOWITZ: No, you will never be able to have a profile of a pedophile because as you can see, they're in any walk of life. They're teachers, they're priests, they're rabbis. Anybody can be charged with this type of behavior. So we don't know. But if we have young victims who were in his range at that time and more come forward, then we know that he's attracted to younger people and he could still be attracted to adults. So, you're never going to say because he has an adult relationships. He never of capable of --

(CROSSTALK)

Yes, absolutely.

BURNETT: So Stacey, what do you make of the sister we just heard there of one of the alleged victims talking about her brother. You know, she went to ABC in 2006, they didn't have anything to corroborate her claims at that time so they didn't put them in the public eye. She said Hastert showed up at her brother's funeral. Which was years after the alleged abuse would have happened. Which is an interesting thing in and of itself. Let me play again what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BURDGE: I just looked at him and I said, I want to know why you did what you did to my brother. He just stood there and stared at me. And then I just continued to say I want you to know that your secret didn't die in there with my brother. And I want you to remember that I'm out here and that I know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: So Stacey, if he went to the funeral of someone that he abused, if these allegations are true, years after the abuse, so the person, you know, would have been a teenager, this person would have been a teenager at the time of the abuse, is an adult, what does that say?

HONOWITZ: Well, listen, anybody that prosecutes these cases, and I've been doing it for so many year, you know that these guys are master manipulators and they're narcissists. They really think that they're above the law. And so, the arrogance to go there and stand there knowing probably what happened. He's probably thinking to himself, I've never going to get caught, I don't know what she's talking about and he's not here to tell us about it. So, when we prosecute these cases many times, we have DNA, we have people that have witnessed the events, and even then a pedophile with that kind of personality will stand in court and say, I didn't do anything. I don't know what they're talking about. So the idea that he showed up, it's arrogant, but that is one aspect of the personality of someone who is engaged in pedophilia behavior.

CALLAN: Just one other piece of advice that was passed on to me by Wendy Patrick who is the sex crimes head in San Diego. If your child is spending a lot of one-on-one time with a coach, take a second look. Be careful about that. It's a suspicious thing.

BURNETT: All right. I appreciate very much both, thanks. And OUTFRONT next, fears of a sniper on the loose in Colorado. The FBI involved tonight. Is this a repeat of the D.C. sniper nightmare?

Plus investigators now questioning a third man in the alleged Boston terror plot. Was he part of the ring plotting to behead?

And breaking news. Take a look at these pictures. A major train crash 60 miles south of Chicago. This is today a collision with a truck at a rail crossing. We'll going to have much more on this breaking news coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:16:46] BURNETT: Breaking news, CNN is learning more about a third man involved in the Boston beheading terror plot. Law enforcement officials have not released this man's name. But they say he met with Usaama Rahim, the central suspect that police shot and killed.

Pamela Brown is OUTFRONT with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tonight indications Usaama Rahim became suspicious the FBI was on to him in 2012 and had bugged his phone. On Facebook under the alias Abdur- Rahim Al-amreeki, he wrote, I heard some clicking noises on my phone. He said, an FBI agent called him and told him, "Sir, we have some allegations regarding you, I came by your house a few times but kept missing you." Law enforcement officials confirm Rahim who police shot and killed in Boston on Tuesday had been on the FBI's radar for the past couple of years. They say he met on a road islands beach Sunday with his nephew David Wright and unnamed 24-year-old man. That man lives here in Rhode Island with his parents. Police searched the home Wednesday and the law enforcement source tells CNN, agents have spoken with him but he's not been arrested. The three allegedly plotted to behead activist Pamela Geller in New York before Rahim changed his plan and decided to attack police officers in Massachusetts on Tuesday. According to the FBI.

RON HOSKO, FORMER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, FBI CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION: The trick of this is frankly lets the person get close enough so that they are taking a substantial step forward, that their efforts, their actions are prosecutable.

BROWN: CNN communicated with the third individual through Twitter back in March as part of reporting on Americans who follow jihadists. He indicated he was in touch with terrorists on line including with ISIS. He claimed that alleged ISIS fighter was telling him to come to Syria to fight with the terrorist group. This as CNN is learning known ISIS members were communicating through peer to peer communication with at least one of the three men, encouraging a terrorist attack at the U.S. Court records show Rahim bought three military knifes on Amazon that were delivered to him in the last week. WILLIAM EVANS, BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER: This individual

coming --

BROWN: Boston Police Commissioner William Evans believes he intended to behead officers.

EVANS: When they have the knives and what's happened across the country and across the world, the beheading of military and police officers, we can insinuate that that's why they have the knives and based on that comment, that's what we believe in Iraq, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: And as for that third individual who has not been arrested, in that online conversation back in March, he apparently told our producer Paul Murphy that he wanted to go to Syria or he considered going to Syria to fight with ISIS. He also told our producer, quote, "I'm not violent at heart, but push the wrong button and it's not pretty." Again, no criminal charges have been filed against him. He's not been arrested. But I can tell you Erin, it's still a very active investigation.

BURNETT: All right. Pamela, thank you very much.

And now fears of a sniper attacking random Americans. Three shootings in Colorado raising this fear tonight. Police say the first two shootings of a motorist and bicyclist are connected. The suspect still at large. And now they're investigating whether a third fatal shooting may be related to those. This potential spree a grim reminder of the terror that two men stoked in Washington, D.C. Nearly 15 years ago. You may remember this, over a three week period, they taunted police, they carried out random sniper attacks in fast-food parking lots, Home Depot parking lot, killing ten, injuring three others. It was a reign of terror.

Ana Cabrera is OUTFRONT in Loveland, Colorado with the latest on this possible sniper story. And Ana, how nervous are people tonight?

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very nervous. This kind of violent crime doesn't really happen in this part of Colorado. One of the shootings happened right off interstate 25 which sees tens of thousands of cars every day. Plus investigators believe the shootings have been random, that the targets have been random. So there is a sense of it could happen to anyone anywhere. And now residents are taking precautions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA (voice-over): Torn between grief and fear.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: It's just hard. But around here, it's a little community and it's scary.

CABRERA: A make shift memorial marks only the sixth deadly shooting in almost a decade in the town of Loveland, Colorado.

RUSSELL HARMON, VICTIM'S NEIGHBOR: He had just beaten cancer, he was, you know, full of life.

[19:21:06] CABRERA: Sixty five-year-old William Connole was shot and killed Wednesday night while walk down a typically busy street. It's now the third shooting in the past six weeks to rock Northern Colorado can't help it wonder if they're all connected.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: It sure seems like it, doesn't it? It's one of those things where you can't help but draw a correlation to it.

CABRERA: The three shootings happened within about 15 miles of her each other. April 22nd, a woman shot in the neck while driving on Interstate 25. On May 18th, a man shot and killed while riding a bicycle on a railroad. Investigators have linked these two shootings. They still don't know about the third.

CHIEF LUKE HECKER, LOVELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT: There are enough likenesses to this case that we as an agency immediately reached out to the task force that is assigned to investigate this and other crimes with us.

CABRERA: That task force includes the FBI. Investigators won't talk about the evidence, the type of weapon used or whether they have a suspect profile. Mike Bouchard who helped investigate the DC sniper attacks in 2002 cautions about jumping to conclusions.

MIKE BOUCHARD, DC SNIPER INVESTIGATOR: I don't think they would call this a serial sniper case. Right now they've only got two shootings that have been linked together. They're very being close about how they are able to link those shootings and that's probably smart on their part.

CABRERA (on camera): The latest shooting happened just across the street from this liquor store. It was closed at the time. But it does have surveillance video. The owner says it doesn't show the shooting itself. But it does show some cars in the area. They have now handed that over to investigators.

(voice-over): For now, the fear of the unknown has residents on edge.

HECTOR GONZALEZ, LOVELAND RESIDENT: Oh, yes. That's why I'm telling my kids right now stay in a group, not just by yourself.

SAMANTHA CADWELL, FORT COLLINS RESIDENT: Actually, we try not to ride our bikes in the morning or we avoid being out late at night, as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: We even heard of an event that was canceled. A triathlon that was supposed to happen but was canceled because of these recent shootings. So Erin, that gives you an idea of how worried people are right now.

BURNETT: Absolutely. Pretty terrifying. Ana, thank you very much. I want to go straight OUTFRONT to our counterterrorism expert Colonel Randy Watt. He specializes in tactical special operations training.

Colonel, when you hear about these cases that they're saying, that they think that two of them could be linked to the same person, they're now looking at a third, how do you think they're connecting them?

COL. RANDY WATT, COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERT: Well, they're utilizing a wide variety of investigative methods. They're doing deep dives into the lives of the victims here to see if there is commonalties or connection. They're also taking a look at ballistics and wide variety of other factors and methods to attempt to link these cases and give them some idea as to who is committing the shootings.

BURNETT: So what could motivate someone like this? I mean, you know, the D.C. sniper situation, I mean, paralyzed a big part of the eastern seaboard of this country. People were terrified. This person was striking random people in parking lots. Where people publicly congregated right. Where there was a fast food chain or home goods store. What do you think could motivate someone if this is a sniper to be doing this?

WATT: Well, if this is in fact a random serial sniper, it's hard to say what's going to trigger the kind of psychopathological reaction that results in this. It could be a grievance. It could be illogical. Police are working hard to figure that out because that's going to play greatly and now they can hope to identify suspect.

BURNETT: So are people right to be afraid at this point? I mean, you know, if this is a serial sniper, as you put it, they could strike anywhere. We have a random biker on a road, we have someone driving a car. I mean --

WATT: Well, I think everyone should have a right in that area to be nervous right now. Fear is the main category in terrorism. If you look at that, terrorism is in fact a tactic, it's not a specific group, it's not a specific ideology. It's to accomplish an agenda through fear, whether it's the agenda is a change in personal habits or a change in government activities and operations.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Colonel Watt, I appreciate your time tonight. We'll going to keep following that story as we get more information on a possible serial sniper.

OUTFRONT next, it's believed the Chinese are behind what could be the worst data breach ever. Why would China be compiling a massive database of American citizens?

And an OUTFRONT investigation, you will not believer the scale and waste and mismanagement at the TSA. You may think you can believe it but you can't.

Also breaking news, a major train crash just outside Chicago. Today an Amtrak train colliding with a truck, this just happening. The gates appear to be down. We'll going to be showing you this live. We'll be back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:29:44] BURNETT: Tonight, U.S. officials desperately trying to figure out just how much was stolen and what could be the biggest hack ever of the U.S. government. Four million Americans attacked. That means U.S. undercover agents around the world could be exposed and their lives in danger tonight.

Jim Sciutto is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An unprecedented and alarming cyber-attack by China. Hackers may now be able to identify, exposed, even blackmail U.S. government officials around the world. And all it took one government agency that had not taken the simple step of updating its server software. But the White House still has not publicly naming the culprit, it is acknowledging the growing threat.

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We have seen our adversaries use innovative techniques and to learn from their previous efforts to try to find vulnerabilities in our system and to exploit them.

SCIUTTO: This attack appears to lay the ground work if future attacks, using the stolen personal information to fool government employees in so-called spear-fishing attacks and to impersonate them to carry out insider attacks.

Targeting the personal information of federal employees is new. Chinese hackers had previously focused on stealing military and government secrets to enhance national security and corporate data for financial gain.

BEN BEESON, CYBER SECURITY EXPERT, LOCKTON COMPANIES: I didn't think that stopped, but this is just a new attack which is typically been used by organized crime for monetizing that data. And now nation states are clearly seeing that it has use for them, as well.

SCIUTTO: Security analysts say some federal agencies are not following the government's own guidelines to update operating systems with the latest protections. The Office of Personnel Management discovered the breach by using new software, but the detection came after the system had already been compromised.

After years of alleged cyber attacks by China, the Obama administration has tried raising the issue president to president. It even issued criminal charges against an elite group of Chinese hackers believed housed at this Shanghai building and known as unit 61398. But China's attacks have only continued and grown.

JON HUNTSMAN, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO CHINA AND SINGAPORE: Let's face it, cyber, as we're all wake up to again this morning, is the newest domain of warfare.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: I mean, Jim, what's incredible, the

U.S. charging people and yet they act like everything is as usual with China. The president of China scheduled to come to the United States and get the big pomp and circumstance of a state visit in the Obama meeting in September. I mean, that's incredible. Could that be canceled?

SCIUTTO: No, it won't be canceled. You can expect the president to raise it directly with the Chinese president as he's done before. But there is a real struggle here to find out what's going to work.

They have tried everything. They have named and shamed these hackers. And they're naming and shaming again here. Although the White House is not publicly identifying who it was, they are talking about the circumstances of the attack. They have to find a way because at this point, nothing is working.

One thing I can tell you is that, the White House, the government is reaching out to the private sector because they're acknowledging that they just don't have the talent to react. You had Secretary Ash Carter out in Silicon Valley doing this very thing a couple weeks ago. They know they need help, but it better come quickly.

BURNETT: That's incredible. All right. Thanks so much, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Thank you.

BURNETT: And OUTFRONT tonight, State Department Spokesman John Kirby.

John, how serious is this hack?

JOHN KIRBY, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: Well, I think you've seen the office of personnel management speak to it. It was a significant security breach. It's one that frankly because of upgrades to their capabilities, they were able to discover. We're always looking at ways to try to improve our cyber security.

But significant though it was, it's under investigation, and there's not a lot more we ask talk about except to say that again cyber security is something we take very seriously across the federal government and certainly here at the State Department.

BURNETT: So, CNN is reporting tonight that the hackers may now be able to expose and blackmail American intelligence agents worldwide. I mean, that means lives are at risk, doesn't it?

KIRBY: Well, look, as I said, it's under investigation and I really don't want to -- can't speak to the specifics of this particular breach. It wouldn't be our place here at the State Department. But, again, I mean, the cyber security realm is one that requires a lot of energy and effort and we're very mindful of the risks that exist inside that environment.

BURNETT: U.S. investigators are telling CNN China is responsible for this, Chinese military in particular. China says that accusation is groundless and irresponsible. But the president spokesperson won't blame China directly. Why the hesitation?

KIRBY: Again, this is under investigation, Erin, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. That is where it lays. The Office of Personnel Management has the lead on this from a fixed perspective. And I think we just need to let this investigation follow its course before we start laying out claims of responsibility. I think, again we want to let this investigation proceed.

BURNETT: Tension is very high between the U.S. and China right now. CNN recently was on a U.S. spy plane, China directly threaten that plane.

KIRBY: Yes.

BURNETT: And a former deputy director of the CIA, Mike Morell, actually told me the other day that China -- war with China is absolutely -- in his words -- absolutely a risk.

[19:35:07] You just came from working at the Pentagon. Is war a fair word?

KIRBY: I think again what we're trying to see -- let's talk about what we want to get here. Where we want to question and not what we want to avoid. And what we want with China is a productive, constructive relationship. It's a growing power, a big influence in the region.

And we're seeking ways to make that relationship more transparent and more constructive. There is no question that we don't agree with China on lots of things and we've talked about that. Then, there is a communication, there is a dialogue there. We obviously on these South China Sea claims, we don't want the area militarized. We don't want tensions escalated. And we want whatever disputing claims there are to be solved through negotiation and diplomatic process.

There is no reason that it has to devolve into conflict if the dialogue can continue and the relationship can be improved.

BURNETT: All right. John Kirby, thank you very much.

KIRBY: My pleasure. Thank you.

BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, the TSA, billions and billions in wasted taxpayer money. And a miserable failure at detecting bombs and guns. Our special investigation is next.

And breaking news: a train crash just south of Chicago. We're going to show exactly what's happening here now live, more than 200 people on board. That breaking news is next as we're getting more information in.

And we're going to talk about the Viagra pill that may get FDA approval for women. Is it worth popping this pill every day of your life? Because, you know what, it targets your brain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BURNETT: We're back with breaking news.

An Amtrak train traveling from San Antonio to Chicago has collided with a truck. We'll show you these pictures. You're looking at live aerials. It looks like a tractor trailer that was hit. This looks like rail crossing where you're seeing this happened is near Wilmington, Illinois.

Now, there were 203 people on board that train. We are told they have been evacuated. Some are injured, but at this time, we understand none seriously -- obviously, the good news of the night. The condition of the truck driver is unknown at this point. That may be a very different story as you can see the condition of the 18- wheeler to the left of the train on your screen.

We're going to continue to monitor the situation. We'll update you as we get more information tonight.

And now, a special OUTFRONT investigation, 62,000 employees and a budget of about $8 billion, you would think you could change the world with that. Frankly, you should be able to. And yet, the TSA failed to detect bombs and weapons 95 percent of the time in the most recent test -- $8 billion, 62,000 people.

Where is that money and manpower going? You'll be shocked to find out.

Tom Foreman is OUTFRONT tonight with this exclusive investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With planes, trains, subway, highways and more under their watch, the TSA has 62,000 employees and an annual budget pushing $8 billion. But a scathing new report of a 95 percent failure rate in detecting airport threats backs what independent studies have said for years. Taxpayers aren't getting much for their money.

Exhibit one, in 2010, when backscatter scanners were deployed, they were immediately assailed as ineffective, possibly dangerous and needlessly intrusive -- virtually strip searching passengers. Despite spending more than $130 million, within two years, the TSA was pulling them out of major airports.

Exhibit two, a congressional report found the TSA warehousing thousands of pieces of equipment it overbought or does not need, and wasting as much as $100 million on poorly planned shipping. Such things make members of Congress like Florida Republican John Mica howl.

REP. JOHN MICA (R), FLORIDA: It's out of control.

FOREMAN: And exhibit three, the TSA has spent around a billion dollars on a program to spot potential terrorists by their behavior despite a Government Accountability Office assessment that says it is virtually worthless.

CHRIS EDWARDS, CATO INSTITUTE: But TSA for over a decade now has been horribly bureaucratic agency. They don't seem to learn from their past mistakes. They have spent billions of dollars on things that don't work.

FOREMAN: There have been embarrassments, too, like videos of airport workers including TSA employees stealing from passengers' bags. It was supposed to be different.

In the wake of 9/11, the newly established TSA was held up as a model of efficiency and safety.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You already know you're not a threat. Show us by packing smart.

FOREMAN: And the agency has undeniably stopped some threats. So despite all the bad news at the White House --

EARNEST: The president does continue to have confidence that the officers at the TSA do very important work, that continue to protect the American people and continue to protect the American aviation system.

FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BURNETT: Just incredible.

OUTFRONT next, a controversial female Viagra pill, one step closer to FDA approval. So, what is this and how would it even work?

And American Pharoah prepping for the biggest race of his life. It's a superstitious sports. So, will his jockey be riding with his underwear inside out?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNETT: Tonight for the first time, Viagra for women. An advisory panel recommending the FDA approve a drug to raise women's sex all desire. It's a daily pink pill -- I'm not making that up, people -- developed by a company called Sprout Pharmaceuticals.

OUTFRONT now, Dr. Jennifer Berman, co-host of "Doctors TV Show" and co-author of "Four Women Only: A Revolutionary Guide to overcoming Sexual Dysfunction and Reclaiming Your Sex Life."

Obviously, Jennifer, a lot of people are talking about this, a lot of people are making jokes, but this is a very serious thing. More than 40 percent of people may suffer from some sort of dysfunction that this drug might help.

But this drug is nothing like Viagra, right? I mean, it actually targets the brain. DR. JENNIFER BERMAN, UROLOGIST SPECIALIZING IN FEMALE SEXUAL

MEDICINE: It is nothing like Viagra. So it is confusing when you call it a female Viagra. Viagra increases genital blood flow. This works within the central nervous system to enhance libido or sexual desire.

BURNETT: So, do you think women should be taking a pill every day? I mean, because, essentially, you take a pink pill every day, it is not like Viagra where you take it before sexual activity, or even Cialis, right?

[19:50:00] It alters your brain chemistry. So, that makes people think about, well, is this like an antidepressant that can possibly change my mood or my personality?

BERMAN: Well, there is, just to be clear, there is a Cialis, 5 milligram Cialis that is taken daily by men. So, if, you know, if men can take a pill daily and the question is can women. And quality of life is equally as important as quantity. And sexual health, sexual satisfaction, sexual enjoyment is a quality of life issue.

But you bring up a good point. This is a brain chemistry issue. And libido or sexual desire or motivation to be sexual has an emotional basis to it. So, we are trying to medicalize something that is emotional as well. And I think that's the confusing part.

BURNETT: Emotional, which is a whole other thing which is also deeply personal and individual, which is why so many are skeptical of this. Now, parts of the reason why the story sparked so many questions, Dr. Berman, and we asked our viewers to send them in. Here's one though that I think is really important since this drug is targeted at women on all ages.

Danielle Robbins wrote to us on Facebook, quote, "I would like to know the side effects. Are you still able to have children and is this something that could affect the women long-term?"

I mean, these are crucial questions. This is not a post- menopausal drug. This is for women of any age.

BERMAN: Well, it is -- the women studies were premenopausal women and it was not studied in women who could benefit from it by the way.

But in terms of the long-term effects, that's a good question. We don't know the long-term effects. The women were studied for eight months. So does taking a medication that alters brain chemistry, in the pleasure centers of the brain, does that have long-term effects?

I was concerned that this medication is going to be used not as prescribed and we would be seeing, you know, other compulsive behaviors because it increases dopamine levels, which is the same neuro chemical that cocaine increases. So, that was one of my concerns.

And, by the way, the side effects are concerning. Nausea, fatigue, fainting, dizziness, so things along those lines, you know, are a concern. The FDA is requiring further phase one studies. The company has to do driving stimulation studies and interactions with other drugs. So, the full safety protocol is not yet available.

BURNETT: Yes. No doubt, but people are certainly talking about it. All right. Well, thank you, doctor.

BERMAN: It is good we're talking about it. Thank you.

BURNETT: And people care deeply about it.

All right. Next, American Pharoah running for horse racing's illusive Triple Crown. One sure bet, is it all -- is that all sports superstitions will be honored on that track tomorrow?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNETT: There is a lot riding on American Pharoah when he runs in the Belmont Stakes tomorrow.

Richard Roth is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: American Pharoah, a true American phenom.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By winning the Preakness Stakes and the American Kentucky before it, American Pharoah races to the edge of history.

Could he be the first horse in 37 years to win the prestigious Triple Crown by capturing the Belmont Stakes?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Position number five is American Pharoah.

ROTH: Bob Baffert, his trainer, has lost three times in the Belmont while chasing the seemingly unachievable Triple Crown.

BOB BAFFERT, TRAINER, AMERICAN PHAROAH: Hopefully, he'll do his thing and finally we can break this drought. I think I'm responsible for the drought.

ROTH: But it may all come down to this: Is American Pharoah feeling lucky?

Superstition is a big part of the game.

RICHARD MIGLIORE, NEW YORK RACING ANALYST: On personal note, if I was in a slump, I would turn my underwear inside out to changes things up.

ROTH: American Pharoah's jockey is Victor Espinosa, who lost last year on California Chrome, the latest to fall short of winning the Triple Crown.

VICTOR ESPINOSA, JOCKEY: I'm not really superstitious, but I like to take a nap before the race.

ROTH: Espinosa, who is not religious, did adjust pre-race routine by praying with Orthodox Jewish rabbis. The owner of Pharoah heads an Orthodox family, which means on a Sabbath, no driving to the track. The families will sleep overnight in four RV vans at the track.

AHMED ZAYAT, OWNER, AMERICAN PHAROAH: Our family, God comes first.

ROTH: Fans at the Belmont have their own superstitious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I'm betting on the track, I always like to end my bet with an even number.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I come to race track, I usually call my grand father. My one superstition would be to try to stay as far away from him as possible.

ROTH: If he wins, American Pharoah will make $800,000 for his owner, plus much more in advertise.

At Coolmore stud farm where race horses are bread, American Pharoah will get his own fun when he retires. While the owner rakes in part of what is known as stud fees that could top $100,000 a pop if he wins the Triple Crown.

MIGLIORE: He'll have dates with pretty fillies and I think a lot of human athletes would excel at their sport if they knew that was their fate they had in their future.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH: I don't think they use that bugle at the stud far.

Erin, 13 horses have won the Derby and the Preakness and failed here at the Belmont. Three years ago, I'll Have Another didn't even make the race, scratched at the last minute. The calm before the storm and the craziness here along the rail at Belmont -- Erin.

BURNETT: All right. Richard, I know I went out there for that one, and of course, he ended scratching as you say. Everyone will be watching tomorrow.

This weekend, we hope you'll watch the global edition of OUTFRONT. It airs Sunday and Sunday on CNN International. This week, I'll speak to the family of Mohamed Soltan, who spent 640 days in an Egypt jail and in solitary confinement. Soltan is back in the U.S. you'll hear his story tomorrow.

Thanks for watching. Anderson is now.