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Erin Burnett Outfront
Police: Shooter Legally Purchased Weapon at Pawn Shop; Governor Hails Teachers Who Pulled Alarm Despite Being Wounded. Aired 7-8:00p ET
Aired July 24, 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] KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT tonight, breaking news in the movie theater shooting. We're just learning where the shooter got his gun, despite his history of mental illness. And new details about the moment he opened fire. Officials saying he methodically shot his victims. One desperate moviegoer even playing dead. A full report is coming up.
Plus, a young man who was -- who was in that theater. How did he and his fiancee get out? He is my guest tonight.
And Donald Trump, now that he is the frontrunner, he is facing tough questions. Well, can he answer them? Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan in for Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, we have breaking news. The shooter who killed two and wounded nine at a Louisiana movie theater, we are learning stunning new details about what happened inside that theater as he opened fire. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal revealed just moments ago what survivors are telling him tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R), LOUISIANA: One of the surviving wounded victims played dead to stay alive. What we have learned from inside is that it appears that the shooter actually took his time and was somewhat methodical as he shot folks from the top, from the back of the theater. It appears more and more that he was planning his escape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: We're also learning the shooter, identified as 59-year- old John Russel Houser was able to legally purchase the murder weapon, a handgun, at a pawnshop. That despite documented mental health issues he has had in the past. Houser's family is speaking out tonight. Rem Houser telling CNN that he saw his deeply troubled brother just one month ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just needed some money to continue moving on, living on, you know, living and surviving. And so we gave him some. And that was the last we heard of him. We hadn't heard of him probably in ten years prior to that and hadn't heard from him since. And this was a complete shock.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Ana Cabrera is OUTFRONT tonight in Lafayette, Louisiana at the site of the shooting. Ana, a lot of new details that are just coming out from police and officials there just moments ago.
ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kate. We're learning that the gunman actually entered the theater through the front lobby doors and with him he had this high-point .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. After he opened fire shooting nearly a dozen people, then he tried to escape through a side exit door, near where his car was parked. The police were already moving in. So he turned and went back inside, turning the gun on himself. Now, tonight, we're learning a lot more about who this shooter was. But his motive remains a mystery.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CABRERA (voice-over): 7:30 p.m., 20 minutes into a screening at the comedy train wreck, 59-year-old John Russel Houser, seated in the second to last row of a movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana, stands up, raises a .40 caliber handgun and opens fire.
Twenty one year old Mayci Breaux and her boyfriend are seated just in front of the shooter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He stood up and began firing the weapon and the first two people he shot was right in front of him --
CABRERA: Breaux is killed. Her boyfriend wounded. Houser gets off at least 13 rounds before heading for the exit alongside panic theater goers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the ambulances over here now!
CABRERA: He makes it outside but police responding in less than a minute are closing in. Houser goes back inside and shoots himself in the head. Taken to a nearby hospital, 33-year-old Jillian Johnson dies a short time later. Nine others are also shot and wounded. Police say, Houser arrived in Lafayette just weeks ago. He was staying at a nearby motel. It appears he had carefully planned a getaway.
CHIEF JIM CRAFT, LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT: We found wigs and glasses and disguises basically in his room. His vehicle had a switched license tag on it. It was parked right outside an exit door of the theater.
CABRERA: Houser, nicknamed Rusty, spent parts of his life in Georgia and Alabama. Over the years he got a law degree, run for tax commissioner, a job his father held, then went on to own two bars. Hanging a black flag with a swastika and a welcome sign outside one. And he also had a criminal record that included arson. He was a rabble rouser on local talk radio and TV as well as at city council meetings. Often racist and homophobic, spouting anti-government extremist. So extreme that Houser was tracked by the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that tracks hate groups. They released postings they claim were written by Houser in recent years.
Hitler is loved and the U.S. is history, financially failing filth farm. Houser's ex-wife filed a protective order against him in 2008. He was committed to a mental facility. His wife citing his volatile mental state. She also removed all the guns and weapons from their home after he threatened to break up his daughter's wedding. Then there's this ironic posting written in 2013. Truth carries with it an understanding of death, "Rather than live without it, I will take death."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[19:10:26] CABRERA: Now investigators say they are still trying to retrace his steps. They are interviewing who that he may have had contact with since he came to Lafayette back on July 2nd or 3rd they say. He may have talked about potential business opportunities that they really don't know why he chose Lafayette. And of course, there is still no real clue as to what set him off on this horrific rampage. Tonight, Kate, five people remain hospitalized.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely not. Yep, Ana, thank you so much.
OUTFRONT with us tonight is Bobby Peters. He was the mayor of Columbus, Georgia, when John Houser lived there. Mr. Peters, thank you very much for your time. You were very familiar with this man. He was also known as rusty around town. Tell us about him.
BOBBY PETERS, FORMER MAYOR OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA: Well, first of all, our hearts go out to the victims in this and also to the family of Mr. Houser. He comes from a good family in Georgia. His dad was the tax commissioner here. Very loved individual for many years. And Rusty, in the early years, was always active in city council and always involved with issues, always at public forums and seemed to be wanted to be the voice for the citizens, the champion of a cause. And had a lot of dreams about what he wanted to do in early years. So, this is nothing like we had seen back in the '90s and the late '80s.
BOLDUAN: When you talk about those council meetings when you were a mayor. He would show up to those regularly. You've said that he would kind of go off on rants. What would he say? What were the rants about?
PETERS: He would pick an issue. And of course local issues change every week. But he would find an issue, get on the agenda and have his facts laid out and then present his case and then go on talk shows and go to forums and he didn't trust government. He thought government was always operating behind the scenes and was not doing what we should be doing. And so, he was always challenging officials. The same time, he came from a political family. And he wanted to be an elected official. So, it's kind of a dichotomy there with his actions.
BOLDUAN: You were also seeing an image that he put a swastika up on I believe it was a bar or a restaurant that he owned at the time few years back. At these council meetings, I want to ask you about one situation in particular. You said he would get confrontational at times and one instance arguing with an attorney who was representing movie theaters. Now that clearly takes on a whole different significance now. What was that confrontation about?
PETERS: Well, he was against pornography. At least that's what he stated at the time. And the local attorney represented a theater, peep show owner. They had a confrontation back and forth. He was very much against that, the water works, the school board. He had some issues with the school board. But he was very articulate. He was an intelligent individual. And he wasn't cussing. He wasn't antagonistic. He presented his case. He wanted to be a lawyer. If you look at the pattern, he wanted to be a lawyer, he wanted to be a nightclub owner, he wanted to be an elected official. And I guess, over a period of time and we're talking about the '80s and then through the '90s, because I left the mayor's office in 2002 and had not really had much contact with him since then. And if you look at the whole pattern, he had all these dreams and they kept falling apart. And it comes to a situation like this.
BOLDUAN: I mean, a lot of people have dreams they want to be lawyers, they want be attorneys, they want to be elected officials and they don't end up like this. In shooting and killing in a packed theater.
PETERS: I totally agree.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely not. Was he always like this? Or do you think he became extreme over time?
PETERS: I think in his early years, he was kind of falling into his dad's footsteps. And like I said, he was respected here very much. And things just did not work out over a period of time. If you look at the entire pattern, yes, you can see a very erratic person that's doing a lot of irrational things. I mean, you can't put it -- a rational decision from an irrational person, which is also hard to predict. I mean, if you just looked at his pattern, he wanted to be involved in government. At the same time, he thought government was contrary to the citizens that he wanted to represent. So, he wanted to be their voice, I guess, is the best way of putting it.
BOLDUAN: Confusing no matter how you put it.
PETERS: No justification.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely.
PETERS: From 2002 on, he went totally downhill. Had mental health issues. And nothing he had done since then can be justified.
BOLDUAN: And a whole host of issues we're now learning as we're saying a criminal record and mental health issues that we are starting to see come to light. Mr. Peters, thank you very much.
PETERS: Thank you all very much. [19:10:04] BOLDUAN: Of course. And as we were talking about,
Mr. Peters is kind of laying the background if you will of John Houser. We are also told that John Houser fits the profile of what my next guest calls the most violent and dangerous individuals in the country. Richard Cohen is the president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that tracks hate groups. Richard, what -- I want to get your take. What do you make of what you just heard there from Mr. Peters? This pattern that he lays out. And then he says, at one point, he just saw John Houser go -- spiral downward.
RICHARD COHEN, PRESIDENT, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: Yes. Now, it's a classic case that we have seen so many times before. A frustrated, angry person looking for reasons outside of himself to explain his failures. Goes to the world of racism, goes to the world of anti-government extremism. And then it erupts. You know, maybe a triggering event, maybe a touch of mental illness. And, you know, the people in that theater paid the terrible, terrible price. It's, you know, kind of the pattern of a lone wolf.
BOLDUAN: You describe him as kind of the most dangerous and violent type of person that kind of fits in this profile. But I also want you to take a look as we do these days, take a look at kind of his online activity. At least what we know of it so far. Houser would write on forums dedicated to the golden dawn, it's the Neo-Nazi party. He praised Hitler. He also supported the Westboro Baptist Church. It's known for picketing military funerals with severe anti- gay slurs. But does any of this -- and what you see of this profile, does any of this indicate that this guy was a ticking time bomb?
COHEN: Well, you know, he talked about -- he praised lone wolves on his web postings. He talked about Hitler, he talked about Tim McVeigh the Oklahoma City bomber. There's a lot out there that reflects, you know, kind of an obsession with violence. Now, I would also mention, Kate, that his white supremacy is nothing recent, nothing new, rather. It goes back at least ten years, perhaps longer than that. So this had been some boiling rage within this person for a long, long time.
BOLDUAN: And I think, of course, no matter what you do, you are not going to find logic in the mind of a mad man. Someone has to be mad in order to do something like what he did.
COHEN: Not at all.
BOLDUAN: Thank you so much.
COHEN: OUTFRONT for us next, I'm going to talk to a young man who was there and survived the shooting spree. So, how did he and his fiancee make it out?
Plus, two teachers in that movie theater, they're being called heroes tonight. Their quick action saving lives. Their story is also coming up, next.
And Donald Trump's big promises.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would bomb the hell out of the oil fields. I won't send troops because you won't need them by the time I get finished.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: So, can he pull it off?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:16:36] BOLDUAN: And breaking news. We have new details tonight on the tragic movie theater shooting in Louisiana. Police say that the gun John Houser used to kill two and wound nine others was legally purchased at a pawnshop. Louisiana's governor also revealing tonight that a wounded victim played dead to survive the shooting. And the governor tonight also commending two teachers who were shot by Houser but still managed to save the lives of others.
Kyung Lah is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chaos --
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Unfolding inside the movie theater. Where high school teachers Jenna Mow (ph) and Ali Martin (ph) were celebrating a last girls' night out before the start of school.
CAMMIE MATURIN, FRIEND: Wow, they took their training and put it into action even outside of the classroom.
LAH: Their training as teachers, says friend and co-worker Cammie, but training you don't expect to use while watching a movie.
JINDAL: One teacher jumped in front of her friend, potentially saving her life. The second teacher said that bullet was coming for her head or her friend hadn't jump on top of her. Both teachers were injured. The second teacher was injured in the leg.
LAH: Both shot, bleeding, yet somehow the friends who saved each other then thought of the 100 others in the theater. Officials say, Martin headed to a fire alarm.
COL. MICHAEL EDMONSON, LOUISIANA STATE POLICE: Presence of mind to pull those -- that fire alarm to alert individuals what was going inside that theater.
JINDAL: So, who knows how many lives she saved by doing that.
LAH: People inside ran out, then began helping the wounded. First responders tipped off early by that firealarm, flooded the theater. And now all too familiar image of grief and shock, a moment these teachers had prepared for at generate senior high school. The teachers met seven years ago, best friends Jenna Mow (ph) the school librarian, Ali Martin (ph), an English teacher. On Facebook, the student's wrote about their bravery and courage. The pride in an act that likely saved many lives. But they seemed unsurprised because after all, this is what their teachers do.
MATURIN: Keep others alive. How can we help others get to safety? That's how can we help our kids get to safety in the classroom? That's what these ladies were trained to do and they did it in just a blink of an eye.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: One of the teachers has been released from the hospital already. We understand that the other may be on her way to being released soon. When they are, they are looking at some steep medical bills on teacher's salaries. Even though they both have insurance. So, the fellow teachers have set up a GoFund Me account. Their goal is 40,000, they are Kate, rapidly reaching that goal.
BOLDUAN: They should. Amazing woman. Kyung, thank you.
LAH: You bet.
BOLDUAN: OUTFRONT tonight, a survivor of the Louisiana movie theater shooting. Josh Doggett. Josh, thank you so much for joining us. I can only imagine what it's like now. You've had some time to process what you really experienced in that theater. What do you make of it?
JOSH DOGGETT, SURVIVED MOVIE THEATER SHOOTING: Honestly, just kind of crazy to think something like that would happen. You always hear about shootings happening. But you never think it's going to happen to you in your hometown. Especially in a small town like we live in. You know, just kind of surreal, really.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely. If you could, take us back to that moment when you realized you are sitting in the movie theater when you realize something was really wrong in that theater.
[19:21:08] DOGGETT: Maybe ten, 15 minutes into the movie, all of a sudden you just heard a loud bang. And I mean, just --
BOLDUAN: Did you know right away?
DOGGETT: Like a loud bang. It's almost like a loud firecracker went off, but it was a way louder. I mean, it would hurt your ears it was so loud. And instantly, I knew it was a gunshot. And I don't think -- there was no screaming or anything like that. You never heard anybody arguing. It just came out of nowhere. Just pow. I grabbed my fiancee and we got down. And as I looked up, I could see he was standing at the top of the theater on the opposite side of us just standing in the aisle. And then he started shooting again and firing more shots. And I saw that he wasn't pointing his weapon in our direction. I grabbed my fiancee and we ran around the corner. And now, as we were running, that's when people -- the second shots started. We were already running. And that's when more people started realizing what was going on. And it kind of turned into chaos. And then everybody climbing over seats and running and screaming. And once we got outside and called 911.
BOLDUAN: And in those I'm sure seconds that felt like hours, what do you remember specifically about the shooter? What was the look on his face? Did he show any emotion at all? What do you remember?
DOGGETT: Like in a brief second I looked at him. The biggest thing that stood out to me was how calm he was. You know, there was no arguing with anybody, no fighting. The way he looked at me while he was standing up there, he was just very relaxed. Like, I'm doing this. He had this plan or whatever, I can't say that. But he just had this calm stance about him. Like, he didn't care about anything. Just very calm.
BOLDUAN: He didn't say anything. He didn't register any emotion as those shots -- as he continued to fire on people indiscriminately?
DOGGETT: No, ma'am. Never heard him scream, say anything. And just, like I said, just stand there very relaxed just pointing his weapon and firing.
BOLDUAN: Which makes it all the more impossible to understand why someone would do this. Josh, thank you so much for getting on the phone with us. We appreciate it.
DOGGETT: Absolutely. Thank you.
BOLDUAN: Now, earlier I spoke with Colonel Michael Edmonson of the Louisiana State Police. Something he said during that interview. It really struck me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDMONSON: Across this country, have those conversation with your kids. What would do you in a situation like this when you hear a long, when you hear a gunshot? What do you do? And I think they need to have those conversations. Put those cellphones away and have those candid conversations about who is your kid's friends, what were they doing and what were they doing in a situation like that? I think that's important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Sure it is.
Joining me now, CNN legal analyst and former police officer, Phillip Holloway. So, Phil, you heard the colonel right there. I mean, what do parents need to tell their children or really, what does anybody need to know about what to do if they find themselves inside a theater like this and someone opens fire? Unfortunately, we have to talk about it.
PHILLIP HOLLOWAY, FORMER POLICE OFFICER: Well, first of all, good evening Kate and thank you for having me. I'm sorry that we're having to have this discussion about this horrible tragedy that's once again occurred. The most important thing for people to remember if they are ever faced with an active shooter situation is to try as best as possible to remain calm and seek cover and if at all possible exit the situation, remove yourself physically from the building or from wherever you might be. That is first. There has been a lot of talk about whether or not people could carry guns into a movie theater or things like that. That should be only done as a last resort. Because in an active shooter situation, a personal sidearm is potentially more dangerous than the shooter. Because you really don't know what you might be trying to shoot at. And outside of about one foot away from the shooter, a personal sidearm is not going to be very effective.
BOLDUAN: And that's really interesting point. Especially, because Phil, every time, I mean, we have discussed this every time you go to the movies you carry a firearm. You are obviously extremely trained to do so. But do you recommend others to do the same?
HOLLOWAY: Well, that's a personal choice everybody has going to have to make. I'm certainly not suggesting that everybody go without any training strap on a gun every time they go to the movies. That's not at all what I'm suggesting. In fact, to a contrary and I would like to look at an example from history. If you take a look at Ronald Reagan's assassination attempt in the early '80s, his security detail obviously very well armed. But they were not in a theater but they were in a crowd. They had ample opportunity to pull out their guns and to turn Mr. Hinckley into swiz cheese, but instead they chose a more prudent option and they tackled him. Basically they overpowered him. That is the best way to deal with an active shooter rather than opening fire into a panicked crowd. So, that would be the more accurate and more prudent way to handle the situation if you ever find yourself in one.
BOLDUAN: And real quick, Phil, from what you have heard and we're learning these stories. How do you think folks handled this situation? This shooting.
HOLLOWAY: Well, I think they handled it as best they could. And I think those teachers that we talked about earlier were absolutely heroic. Turning on the fire alarm, things like that, and calling 911, getting police there as soon as possible is absolutely key and very important and saved lives for sure.
BOLDUAN: Saved lives. We're hearing that over and over again. Phil, thank you so much.
HOLLOWAY: Thank you.
BOLDUAN: OUTFRONT next, Donald Trump soaring in the polls on the strength of big promises and sweeping statements.
I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.
Ahead, so where is the proof?
[19:26:04] And new revelations tonight. Hillary Clinton's e- mails for a private server contain classified information. Will the Justice Department investigate? (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:30:24] KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: You have heard this bombastic rhetoric from Donald Trump over and over again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We charge Mexico $100,000 for every person they send over. I would bomb the hell out of those oil fields. I wouldn't send many troops because you wouldn't need them by the time I got finished.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: So, he is no longer a reality TV show host. He is now running for president. You probably don't need reminding of that. And on the campaign trail, Trump is being asked to back up his claims. There are a lot of questions but not always a lot of answers.
Sunlen Serfaty is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump facing the scrutiny of a frontrunner, to substantiate his claims and back up his bravado.
TRUMP: Your senator, what a stiff.
N, no, you are finished.
Now, everybody is apologizing to me because I happen to be right.
SERFATY: During a visit to the border, Trump repeating the claim that fuelled his rise, that Mexico is sending dangerous illegal immigrants over the border.
TRUMP: We bring them back and they push them out. Mexico pushes back people across the border that are criminals, that are drug dealers.
SERFATY: But dodging questions over the specifics.
REPORTER: Any evidence here to confirm your fears about Mexico sending its criminals across the border?
TRUMP: Yes, I have.
REPORTER: What evidence specifically have you seen?
TRUMP: We'll be showing you the evidence.
REPORTER: When?
REPORTER: How? SERFATY: So far, no evidence from the Trump campaign. And
promising that if he is president, Mexico will pay for the border wall he wants to build.
TRUMP: I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.
SERFATY: How? That's not clear either.
TRUMP: Let me just tell you. Mexico is making an absolute fortune, because the trade deals with the United States are phenomenal for them and horrible for us.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, "AC360": So, you say renegotiate trade deals and in that put in a price for the wall?
TRUMP: Mexico is making a fortune off the United States. They will pay for that wall, believe me.
SERFATY: Claims, too, from Trump about the number of people who are in the U.S. illegally.
TRUMP: I'm now hearing it's 30 million. It could be 34 million, which is a much bigger problem.
SERFATY: That's a number nearly three times larger than current estimates.
TRUMP: I'm hearing it from other people. I have seen it written in various newspapers. The truth is, the government has no idea how many illegals are here.
SERFATY: And even on the most basic of technicalities, Trump boasting of the size of the crowds he is drawing.
TRUMP: We had a tremendous rally, 15,000 people in Phoenix, Arizona, and it was unbelievable.
SERFATY: (INAUDIBLE) reporting he only drew 4,000 at that rally, a discrepancy Trump later blamed on the host site for not wanting to admit they broke a fire code.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SERFATY: We reached out to the Trump campaign to get clarification here about all these questions, but they did not provide anything further. Now, looking for the first Republican debate, it's a few weeks away. So, likely, this pressure on trump to speak in specifics and clarify his positions. They will likely intensify, Kate, especially coming from his fellow opponents.
BOLDUAN: You can be sure of that.
Sunlen, thank you so much.
So, joining me OUFRONT, Ben Ferguson, host of "The Ferguson Show", and Andy Dean, who is a Trump supporter. He was a contestant on "The Apprentice" and worked for Trump for seven years.
Great to see you both.
So, Andy, Sunlen laid it out. This is why people love Trump but this is also why people don't think he can be president. Where is the substance?
ANDY DEAN, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Look, I think that the piece you just showed over the past couple minutes was unfair to Trump. I mean, Trump is a leader. He is specific on specifics. This is a guy who spent a life in the private sector getting things done.
So, when he says he's going to build a wall, he's going to build a wall.
BOLDUAN: So, we just trust him?
DEAN: And if you want somebody to put up 200 pages of construction documents, they can throw them up on his website, but he's good at building things, and he'll build a wall.
BOLDUAN: So, you are saying trust him? I mean, first off, it wasn't --
(CROSSTALK)
DEAN: He's got a record. He's got a record.
BOLDUAN: He's got a record?
FERGUSON: Andy, how do you -- how do you trust him to build a wall when he says the financer is going to be Mexico and the second most amount of money --
DEAN: You slap a tariff on them.
FERGUSON: Hold on. The stimulus that comes into Mexico's economy from illegal immigrants sending money back across the border is more to -- means more to their country than oil does to their country. They have a lot of oil that they are willing to drill in Mexico.
There is no incentive for Mexico to build a wall when you have billions upon billions of dollars coming back into Mexico. Why would you do that?
(CROSSTALK)
DEAN: Ben, what you are saying makes no sense.
(CROSSTALK)
[19:35:02] DEAN: It's called negotiation. It's called leverage.
Ben, your point makes no sense. Of course, Mexico doesn't want to build it, but they will build it in a trade negotiation, they'll have to build it.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLDUAN: Here is the thing. This is where --
FERGUSON: You don't have to -- hold on.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLDUAN: Ben, Ben, one second. This is what the debate is about in terms of no one knows the specifics of how Trump would make Mexico pay. That's what people want to know.
DEAN: Well, Kate, that's unfair.
BOLDUAN: No, it's not unfair.
DEAN: That's like saying back in 2007 -- that's like saying back in 2007, that we didn't know the specifics of what universal healthcare was going to look like. A leader sets a vision. Now, I disagree, I think Obama's vision has been terrible. But he's got a vision of universal healthcare and he kind of pulled it off.
Trump has a vision. When he starts governing, he will pull it off. That's what leaders do --
BOLDUAN: Ben, let me pose this to you. If this is such a big problem with some Republicans, which some Republicans say it is, to Trump's point, to Andy's point, that Trump doesn't have any policy positions, then why isn't that problem or his lack of specifics showing in the polls?
FERGUSON: I think it will. I think he has been filling a void early on to be the loudest, most obnoxious candidate. There are people that love it that he is throwing brimstone and fire at other candidates, including Democrats. But I would say this about Trump's vision. Is Trump's vision for building this wall the same vision he had for some of his casinos that are now boarded up and filed bankruptcy, because he sold those visions very well to the people and they didn't work out too well. To say that you are --
DEAN: That's ridiculous. Atlantic City is a hell hole, a cesspool.
(CROSSTALK)
DEAN: It's a dump.
(CROSSTALK)
FERGUSON: Andy, let's deal with facts. Why did you build it if it was a hell hole? That's not a good enough explanation. My point is this, Donald Trump will go out and sell anything --
DEAN: It became a hell hole because the liberals that ran Atlantic City destroyed it. BOLDUAN: OK, wait --
FERGUSON: So, why did he pick it? It shows he's not a very smart man.
BOLDUAN: Let's not debate the real estate value of Atlantic City at this very moment, albeit it's very entertaining.
Andy, I want to ask you about one other thing that Trump has some explaining to do. He has been asked to explain, which is could be another problem for him -- his ties to Democrats.
Earlier today on MSNBC, he just said that he identifies with some things as a Democrat. He goes on to say, though, I am a -- he says he is a conservative Republican. But that comment in and of itself, you don't hear Republicans who are going to win a primary say that very often. Is that a problem for him?
DEAN: No. It's not a problem. Look, Kate, all the conservatives -- Ben represents a conservative elite. They want to put him in a box. Donald is a real person with real positions. If he has to run as an independent, he will do it and probably win.
BOLDUAN: He definitely laid out that threat. That's for sure. Can we continue this again, guys? Thanks so much.
FERGUSON: Yes.
DEAN: Sure. Any time.
BOLDUAN: Have a good weekend.
OUTFRONT next, the Justice Department asked to open an investigation into Hillary Clinton's e-mails on her private server. New revelations tonight that some of the e-mails contained classified information.
And Hulk Hogan, the WWE cutting ties with him after he uses the N-word and not just once. The Hulk giving his side of the story tonight.
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[19:42:07] BOLDUAN: The Justice Department tonight under pressure to investigate e-mails sent from Hillary Clinton's private e- mail server. The inspector general of the intelligence community revealing that some of the Clinton's e-mails contained classified information, forcing Clinton to address the news on the campaign trail today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We all have a responsibility to get this right. I have released 55,000 pages of e- mails. I have said repeatedly that I will answer questions before the house committee. We are all accountable to the American people to get the facts right. And I will do my part.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: But how much did Clinton know about the sensitive information?
Elise Labott is OUTFRONT with this developing story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The intelligence community's inspector general revealing tonight that Clinton's private server e-mails contained classified information. The review of just 40 e-mails found four of them had classified information. At least one of them inadvertently released to the public.
The inspector general's office telling CNN they were, quote, "classified when they were sent and are classified now." The problem: the information was never marked classified by the State Department, raising the possibility she may not have known she was handling sensitive information.
The State Department offering no explanation but suggested a disagreement over when to classify material.
(on camera): It seems like they are making a larger criticism of the way the State Department handles classified material.
MARK TONER, STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON: Again, I refer you to the Department of Justice.
LABOTT: They are saying you compromised classified material.
TONER: But we have had a very rigorous process internally and frankly sharing with other agencies when their equities are involved in clearing these emails.
LABOTT (voice-over): Clinton has long said she handled all information properly while using her private account.
CLINTON: I did not e-mail any classified material to anyone on my e-mail. There's no classified material.
LABOTT: And while she may not be the latest probe about her email server, the controversy has dogged her presidential campaign and been a distraction on the trail, including today --
CLINTON: There have been a lot of inaccuracies. Maybe the heat is getting to everybody.
LABOTT: -- where she renewed an offer to testify before Congress.
CLINTON: We are all accountable to the American people to get the facts right. And I will do my part. (END VIDEOTAPE)
LABOTT: And tonight, the intelligence community's inspector general said there are potentially hundreds of other e-mails on her server that could contain classified information.
BURNETT: Elise Labott -- thanks so much, Elise.
And OUTFRONT tonight, joining us, Brian Fallon. He is the Clinton campaign secretary.
Brian, it's great to see you. Thanks so much for coming on.
BRIAN FALLON, CLINTON CAMPAIGN: Thanks for having me.
BOLDUAN: Of course.
To reiterate what Elise was reporting in that piece, Clinton says that she has never passed along any classified information from her private server.
[19:45:07] Can you guarantee that she is not going to regret those words?
[FALLON: So, what you have today is a dispute between two different agencies that are involved in the review of the 55,000 pages of documents that she sent over.
(CROSSTALK)
FALLON: Yes. So, the State Department says that by their accounting, they don't believe that this information was classified at the time, that it was transmitted over her e-mail system and they don't think it needs to be treated as classified now.
The intelligence community disagrees. They're going to have to work that out. There's been instances in the last couple months in the e-mails that have been produced so far where they have made decisions after the fact to classify things. We haven't had any issue with that. Hillary Clinton's position is simple. She wants as many of the e-mails as possible released to the public.
BOLDUAN: She has said that. She says over and over again that she hasn't done anything wrong. You say this comes down to a dispute between two agencies. But the fact that this classified or even sensitive information was transmitted over her private server, then it could have been classified, does that worry her?
FALLON: So, with literally in the review taking place right now you have dozens of lawyers from the Justice Department, the State Department, the various agencies within the intelligence community, including the FBI, ODNI, there's bound to be competing opinions about what may have been classified at the time that it was transmitted. In the main, there's agreement there were no markings on any of these e- mails suggesting that. There was no reason to believe that they should have been treated as classified at the time. That pretty much upholds Secretary Clinton's position that she's
articulated today.
BOLDUAN: I mean, you take this in the context on the campaign, Brian. Hillary Clinton is facing a trust deficit with voters, if you look at the polls. If you take a look at the most recent poll, we can throw it up in three key swing states, you can see that. But in part of her response as we heard to this, she said maybe the heat is getting to everybody. Is she being overly dismissive of something voters are taking seriously?
FALLON: No, if you look at the story that really generated all the coverage on this issue today, it was a "New York Times" story that broke last night, it ended up having to issue a major correction to the piece. They were widely criticized within the media for being sloppy in their reporting.
BOLDUAN: They issued a correction. But CNN has their own reporting about this. Exactly, what we are talking about, the intelligence community, inspector general is asking justice to look into it.
FALLON: Right. But they have been very clear in the course of admitting that that they may no criminal referral. That got exaggerated. The point is there's a bunch of partisan sources that have been trying to feed these stories to contribute to partisan attack on Hillary Clinton to derail her presidential campaign. She's going to stay focused on issues like the speech she gave today, one of the most substantive speeches to date on the factors that lead to economic growth and increased wages for middle class families.
BOLDUAN: Not pushing her off her message.
FALLON: Not at all.
BOLDUAN: Not pushing you off your message either tonight. Brian, thank you so much.
FALLON: Thanks for having me.
BOLDUAN: Great to see you.
OUTFRONT next, one of the world's most famous wrestlers, Hulk Hogan smacked down for using the n word in a sex tape. That story coming up.
And more on our top story, the shooting in a Louisiana movie theater.
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[19:52:02] BURNETT: Hulk Hogan apologizing today for using the n word in conversation caught on tape. According to Radar Online, Hogan is heard on an unauthorized sex tape talking about his daughter Brook who he says is sleeping with a black man. Hogan has been fired from the WWE. Jason Carroll is OUTFRONT with this growing controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan got a smack down from World Wrestling Entertainment today, firing the WWE star after he was heard repeating the N-word in a racist rant. According to Radar Online and "National Enquirer," Hogan was heard on the tape recorded in 2006 talking about his daughter Brook who he accused of sleeping with an African- American.
"I mean I am a racist to a point, (EXPLETIVES DELETED). But then when it comes to nice people and (EXPLETIVE DELETED) and whatever."
Then says, "I mean, I would rather, if she was going to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) some (EXPLETIVE DELETED), I would rather have her maybe an 8-foot tall (EXPLETIVE DELETED) worth a hundred million dollars, like a basketball player. Guess we're all a little racist, (EXPLETIVES DELETED)."
Hogan's rant captured in his performance during a sexually recorded sex tape, and he's suing Gawker to try to stop the online Web site from releasing it.
Hogan responded Friday in a statement saying, "It was unacceptable for me to have used offensive language. There is no excuse for it and I apologize for having done it. I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs. It is not who I am."
LISA BLOOM, THE BLOOM FIRM: I don't know who would want to enter into a contract with him after this. I wouldn't be surprised if everybody just drops him cold.
CARROLL: Hogan says he is resigning from the WWE, while the WWE saying Hogan was fired. "The WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea, aka Hulk Hogan. WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all background as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers, and fans worldwide."
MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: What we saw in that tape is exactly what 21st century racism looks like. You may like black people and be friendly to black children but you don't want your child to marry a black person.
CARROLL: When Hogan used the N-word during a 2012 broadcast, he explained that a black wrestler, Booker T, called him the name in a match.
HULK HOGAN: They're all talking trash and Booker T goes, I'm coming for you, Hogan, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
CARROLL: Hogan got past it that time, but now find himself in a same position as other celebrities caught using racially charged language. Remember Mel Gibson's rants?
MEL GIBSON, ACTOR: IF you get reaped by a pack of (EXPLETIVE DELETED), it will be your fault.
CARROLL: And Michael Richards.
(EXPLETIVES DELETED)
CARROLL: Both caught, others such as Paula Deen, Justin Bieber, and Madonna also caught and also apologized for using the word.
[19:55:00] Apology alone works for some, not for all.
As for Hogan, his name and likeness stricken from the WWE website.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: We reached out to Hogan's daughter, Brook, her representatives did not return our calls. A number of people have taken to Twitter to support Hogan. One of those people supporting him, Dennis Rodman, who tweeted out, he did not believe that Hogan had a, quote, "racist bone in his body" -- Kate.
BOLDUAN: Outrageous language. Jason, thank you.
OUTFRONT next, more on our top story when we come back.
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BOLDUAN: With so much focus now on why this tragedy happened in Louisiana, we cannot forget who was lost. Tonight, we remember the two women who want to the movies, seeking a bit of an escape. And instead, they were met by a madman who ended their lives too soon.
Mayci Breaux, she was just 21, she was about to begin radiology school at Lafayette General, the same hospital where other victims are being treated tonight.
Jillian Johnson was 33, a creative talent and successful businesswoman, she had three shops selling apparel and gifts, and she was also a musician in a beloved band, The Figs. Her husband called her a true renaissance woman.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and their families tonight.
Thank you so much for joining us.
Anderson will have much more on the investigation into the movie theater shooting. "AC360" starts now.
