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Erin Burnett Outfront
Sessions Denies Lying Under Oath About Russia Contacts; Sessions Won't Say If He'd Recuse Himself From A Clinton Probe; Senate GOP Throws Partial ObamaCare Repeal Into Tax Plan. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired November 14, 2017 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:00] NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: -- and there needs to be something to perhaps shock people into understanding what that means. What that means is a foothold for terror and these horrifying medieval criminal networks, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Nima Elbagir, amazing reporting. Thank you so much for doing this. Our viewers here in the United States and around the world are grateful.
That's it for me. Erin Burnett OutFront starts right now.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OutFront next, breaking news. Attorney General Jeff Sessions now says he does remember a key meeting at Trump Hotel, but only after news reports jogged his memory. Is he telling the truth?
Plus, more breaking news. Roy Moore is about to speak as Mitch McConnell and President Trump discuss his future. Will the president ask him to step aside?
And a California gunman kills at least four people, wounding at least 10 including a mother driving her children to school. What caused this killing spree?
Let's go OutFront.
Good evening, I'm Erin Burnett. OutFront tonight, the breaking news. Selective recall.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions' memory problem. Sessions is grilled by the House Judiciary Committee about the Trump campaign's Russia contacts today, insisting he has always told the truth, quote, to the best of my memory. Questions about Russians though seem to have a way of testing Sessions' memory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF SESSIONS, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I don't recall. I don't recall. I do not recall.
I don't recall it. I don't recall. I do not recall. I don't recall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OK. Sessions had said under oath that he knew of no campaign officials who had contact with Russians during the election. Of course, that isn't true. Sessions himself met with the then Russian ambassador several times while serving as an adviser and surrogate for the campaign.
And then, former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to the FBI for lying about his Russia ties, telling the FBI that at this meeting that you see pictured hear with Sessions and Trump himself in attendance, Papadopoulos discussed his meetings with Russians and suggested setting up a meeting between Trump and Vladimir Putin. Here's what Sessions said about anyone on the campaign having contacts with Russians just a few weeks ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. AL FRANKEN (D), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: You don't believe that surrogates from the Trump campaign had communications with the Russians? Is that what you're saying?
SESSIONS: I did not and I'm not aware of anyone else that did. And I don't believe it happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Well, I don't believe it happened. Well, today, Sessions suddenly seems to remember that meeting with Papadopoulos about Russian meetings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SESSIONS: I do now recall that the March 2016 meeting at the Trump Hotel, that Mr. Papadopoulos attended, but I have no clear recollection of the details of what he said at that meeting. After reading his account and to the best of my recollection, I believe that I wanted to make clear to him that he was not authorized to represent the campaign with the Russian Government or any other foreign government, for that matter.
But I did not recall this event which occurred 18 months before my testimony of a few weeks ago. And I would gladly have reported it had I remembered it because I pushed back against his suggestion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So he didn't recall the meeting until he did. He has no clear recollection of the details except for knowing what he wanted to make clear to Papadopoulos, which of course, if true, it means Sessions remembered what Papadopoulos was talking about in the first place, which was meetings with Russians.
Sessions' Russian memory problem was called out at today's hearing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Your testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in October, you stated under oath, I don't recall in some form or fashion 29 times. Is that correct?
SESSIONS: I have no idea.
JEFFRIES: I have a copy of the transcript of your testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June. You stated under oath, I don't recall, in some form or fashion approximately 36 times. Is that correct?
SESSIONS: I don't know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OK. Approximately 36 times and 29 times and more than 20 times today. Sessions is on the record as saying the intentional failure to remember under oath can constitute perjury. So now the big question is, has Sessions perjured himself?
Manu Raju is OutFront tonight on Capitol Hill. And Manu, Sessions certainly seems to I don't know or I don't recall a whole lot again today.
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Yes. And the questions came over and over again from the Democrats on the committee asking him about contacts that occurred during the Trump campaign and whether or not he was aware when Carter Page, for instance, met with Russians during a trip that he took during the campaign season which Carter Page referenced have told him in passing about this trip. Sessions said he did not recall.
[19:05:00] He also didn't recall Michael Flynn, the former national Security adviser and whether or not they had any discussions about changing the Republican Party platform. And he didn't of course recall George Papadopoulos until these news reports broke about him pleading guilty to federal investigators about his own Russia contacts.
Now, Democrats are saying that -- raising a lot of questions about this, but Jeff Sessions says, look, the reason why I don't recall these things is because they were innocuous. Here's one exchange from today's hearing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TED LIEU (D), CALIFORNIA: You did have communications with the Russians last year, isn't that right? Just yes or no.
SESSIONS: I had a meeting with the Russian ambassador, yes.
LIEU: Great. That's exactly the opposite answer you gave under oath to U.S. Senate. So again, either you're lying to the U.S. Senate or lying to the U.S. House of Representatives.
SESSIONS: Well, I hope the congressmen knows, and I hope all of you know that my answer to that question I did not meet with the Russians was explicitly responding to the shocking suggestion that I, as a surrogate was meeting on a continuing basis with Russian officials and the implication was to impact the campaign in some sort of nefarious way.
And all I did was meet in my office with the ambassador which we didn't discuss anything like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: Now, Erin, he did frustrate some Republicans as well, including Republican Jim Jordan, who was trying to get an answer about whether or not the FBI paid that British Agent Christopher Steele to put together that Trump Russia dossier. Sessions would not say frustrating some other members on the other side of the aisle. But, Democrats in particular were frustrated that they couldn't get their answers --questions to their -- answers to their questions, Erin.
BURNETT: All right, Manu, thank you very much.
And OutFront now, the man you just heard questioning the attorney general today, Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu, he's A member of the foreign affairs and judiciary committees.
Congressman, I appreciate your time. Look, you just -- we just heard you ask the attorney general whether he was lying to the House or to the Senate. He says he didn't lie at all. Did he convince you?
LIEU: Thank you, Erin.
Not at all. Look, you can either believe Jeff Sessions' testimony under oath to the U.S. Senate or you can believe his testimony today to the U.S. House. You cannot believe both. Because they contradict each other. And not just one respect but multiple respects.
And as you pointed out, he admitted today that Trump campaign officials such as George Papadopoulos did in fact have communications with the Russians. He also admitted today that he himself had multiple communications with the Russians.
BURNETT: So, you know, he obviously did say, as you know under oath a few weeks ago, he didn't believe that any of that happened, right? Any surrogates had meetings with Russians and as you pointed out, since then, we learned George Papadopoulos not only had those meetings but he told Sessions about them and suggested to Sessions that Trump himself meet with Vladimir Putin.
So now, today, Sessions said to you all that he actually does recall that meeting with Papadopoulos. I want to play his answer again, Congressman and then ask you a very specific question about it. Here's the attorney general.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SESSIONS: I do now recall that the March 2016 meeting at the Trump Hotel, that Mr. Papadopoulos attended, but I have no clear recollection of the details of what he said at that meeting. After reading his account and to the best of my recollection, I believe that I wanted to make clear to him that he was not authorized to represent the campaign with the Russian Government or any other foreign government, for that matter.
But I did not recall this event which occurred 18 months before my testimony of a few weeks ago. And I would gladly have reported it had I remembered it because I pushed back against his suggestion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Obviously, perhaps, the unintended implication there is had he not pushed back, maybe he wouldn't have reported it. But, what he is saying is that after all in that meeting he did by the accounts of the others there, shut down the idea of a Trump/Putin meeting.
Congressman, he does write -- he is right that that makes him look like he did the right thing. So why would he have hidden that intentionally to lie?
LIEU: Well, this is not the first time we've seen this before. He makes a statement under oath and it turns out it's not true. So the first time he told the U.S. Senate he had no contacts with Russians until evidence was presented later that he had multiple contacts with the Russians.
And then this case, he told the U.S. Senate he had -- or was not aware of any Trump surrogates who had contacts, and now when presented with evidence, he reverses himself. And he was quite animated about that. So he actually remembered this very well. Just a few weeks ago, he said that no such thing occurred. So he's either lying then or he's lying now.
BURNETT: So, what do you think should happen to the attorney general?
LIEU: I think he needs to come clean to the American people. And keep in mind, there's actually a third lie. He filled out a security clearance application form under penalty of perjury, and in that form, he makes a false statement saying that he did not have any contacts with Russian or any foreign government official in the last seven years. He clearly had multiple contacts. He had no good explanation for that lie either.
[19:10:01] BURNETT: All right, Congressman Lieu, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much.
LIEU: Thank you.
BURNETT: And I want to go now to John Dean, President Nixon's White House counsel during Watergate, and Mark Preston, our senior political analyst.
Mark, obviously, Congressman Lieu pointing out a lot of these inconsistencies and look -- I mean, what are they here? Inconsistencies, lies? These are the big questions. MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well -- and I think it's very interesting, and it's very damning to hear a member of Congress to come out and say that the attorney general right now is lying to Congress.
It was also interesting too as we watched that hearing today that the attorney general, Erin, oftentimes would not answer any questions and he did not invoke executive privilege, and he was provided cover by the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. That must have been extremely frustrating to Democrats when they were trying to get answers out of Jeff Sessions but Jeff Sessions was allowed to skate by without having to answer many topics.
BURNETT: So, where are we here, John? The Democrats in the hearing are hammering on the theme, as Congressman Lieu did. They say Sessions lied, right, either lied to the House or Lied to the Senate.
Sessions is adamant he didn't. Does this just become, you know, he said/he said sort of game. Is this over or is perjury a real risk here?
JOHN DEAN, FORMER NIXON WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: It is a real risk here. I would remind the attorney general that the former White House chief of staff Bob Haldeman was convicted for perjury for not recalling. He had the same amnesia problem.
So there's a history, these are not difficult cases to prove. They take a little bit more digging, and we don't know what Mueller might have. But I suspect he's looking at this as well.
BURNETT: That's just a pretty significant thing to say. I mean, the Haldeman example, I think one that many may not be aware of.
Mark, Sessions was also asked today about whether he would bow to President Trump's public request to investigate Hillary Clinton, OK. First, let me just play for everyone so they remember Trump's promise because he was very explicit on this front.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation because there has never been so many lies, so much deception.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Mark, of course, Sessions has already asked prosecutors to look at a deal that happened when Clinton was secretary of state. But he was asked specifically today about whether he'll keep this promise, right, to get my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton. Here's the exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. LUIS GUITIERREZ (D), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: What do you say, are you going to keep that campaign promise?
SESSIONS: I'll fulfill my responsibilities.
GUITIERREZ: Are you going to keep that campaign promise, yes or no? It's a promise that your boss, he hired you, to fulfill.
SESSIONS: We will comply with the law with regard to special prosecutor appointments.
GUTIERREZ: Are you going to appoint one, as he promised during the campaign? He's reminded you a couple times in a few of his tweets that that's what he wants you to do.
SESSIONS: I'll fulfill my duty as attorney general.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Mark, is that a yes or a no?
PRESTON: That's being caught in a rock and a hard place, and you know, Congressman Gutierrez is correct. We saw President Trump just on November 2nd in a radio interview come out and say that he was upset that he can't have control over the Justice Department, and then he went out in a series of tweets, Erin, as the congressman was saying right there, and tried to put pressure on him.
In addition, he's getting pressure from members of Congress as well. Republican members who are demanding that Sessions do it. Sessions at least is smart enough to know that he can't come out and say that he will or that he won't. And he really is in extremely difficult position.
Is that a yes or no? That is a punt on Sessions. He's trying not to give an answer.
BURNETT: And John, what is the significance of that? I mean, can he actually do that? Would there be precedent for that? The sitting president says, investigate a political enemy and the attorney general complies.
DEAN: It would be a very dangerous precedent. And I suspect, Erin, that rank and file prosecutors are going to resist this. They don't want to see there department politicized like this because it would be a shameful precedent, truly.
BURNETT: All right, I thank you both very much.
And next, the breaking news. Republicans are going to get rid of ObamaCare. They're adding the repeal of the ObamaCare individual mandate into the tax bill. So you thought it was tax reform. ObamaCare is going out if it passes. That plan gaining stream at this hour.
Plus, Roy Moore is about to speak tonight. This as he's losing even more big name support. What will he say tonight?
And, breaking news. ,New details on a deadly shooting spree in California. At least seven locations including an elementary school.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:18:18] BURNETT: Breaking news on Capitol Hill tonight. Senate Republicans announcing their tax plan. Well, essentially will end ObamaCare.
The idea to eliminate the individual mandate as part of the tax bill. Make no mistake, that means ObamaCare would be gone as we know it.
Phil Mattingly is OutFront. Phil, this is obviously a really big thing. Is it for real?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Look, it's probably not advisable or at least you wouldn't think that it would be advisable to introduce into an otherwise smooth process something that has led to so many legislative failures over the course of the last 10 months, particularly when it carries the headline of 13 million individuals fewer with insurance over the course of 10 years.
But let me explain why this is actually happening. That Congressional Budget Office estimate also includes $338 billion in revenue because of that repeal, and that's why this is happening. Republican leaders have made clear, while this might not be something they want to do, it might not be politically advisable, as they try and push this bill forward, Erin, and as they try and make things like the corporate tax rate cut permanent, as they try and add relief to middle class taxpayers. They need money and they need that money if they want to be able to pass this on a simple majority vote.
And that is the money that they will have to get no matter the political dangers, Erin.
BURNETT: And so, Phil, look, as you point out, it has been failure after failure on ObamaCare. Trump desperately needs this tax reform to pass for a major legislative victory this year. By putting this in, OK, you get the deficit savings, but does it make it harder for the GOP to pass their tax bill?
MATTINGLY: It's a risky proposition. Look, there's a reason that even though the president has called both on Twitter and I'm told by several aides privately in phone calls with GOP leaders for this to be included that it's taken so long for it to get to this point. Republican leaders know how risky it is to commingle tax reform in a very toxic healthcare debate. This is their play right now.
[19:20:02] The belief that the political imperative as you noted quite well that they have to get something done, anything done, will in the end outweigh the policy issues that arise from this.
The big question now is, healthcare has driven the grassroots on the Democratic side so heartily over the course of the last nine months. The phone calls, the town halls, the rallies. Will this be the trigger to do that on tax reform as well? That could cause problems. But right now, they're hoping the political imperative wins out, Erin.
BURNETT: All right, thank you very much, Phil Mattingly.
And OutFront now, USA Today Columnist Kirsten Powers, and former deputy communications director for the Trump Campaign, Bryan Lanza.
Look, Bryan, they have two massive failures on ObamaCare, you know that, right? But, I mean, just when you hear Phil Mattingly lay this out, right, you can write the ad to energize the Democratic base and frankly scare off some moderate Republicans really easily, right? Thirteen million uninsured Americans so corporate America can get a massive tax cut. That's a hard sell.
BRYAN LANZA, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TRUMP TRANSITION TEAM: Look -- I mean, it's not a large sell when you look at the promise that the president and the Republican Party made to the voters last November. They said they're going to bring tax reform. They said they're going to do infrastructure and they said ObamaCare repeal.
We're combining those two. It's a little bit risky but it's the risk we have to take at this point.
You're right, they did have a very energized Democratic base and the Republican energized base didn't appear. And that's because they felt the Republicans in the House and in Congress weren't working in concert with the president to achieve some of the priorities that they voted for.
BURNETT: Do you had moderate Republicans, Kirsten, Murkowski among them, right, who couldn't get on board with these, the repeal of ObamaCare. But they are now stuck, right. They have to make a choice.
Get rid of that individual mandate and save the money so they can get their tax cut through or say no, we just can't do this. But will practicality as Phil Mattingly point out win and they vote for it?
KIRSTEN POWERS, USA TODAY COLUMNIST: Well, I just think they have introduced this wild card into tax reform whereas I don't see why they wouldn't be able to get most Republicans to vote for tax reform if they were to put together a bill that they could find the savings some other way. I mean, certainly, they could find the savings by, you know, restructuring the way that they are doing the tax cuts, maybe not give as many tax cuts to very wealthy people or corporate -- in the corporate tax rate.
So there are other ways for them to do this. And I think they're just entering this wild card in at the last moment where it could create problems with people who like the Susan Collins of the world or Lisa Murkowskis of the world who don't want to just repeal ObamaCare which is -- if you get rid of the individual mandate, you get rid of ObamaCare. It doesn't work without the individual mandate.
BURNETT: It's the point we are trying to make, you know, it's not just a tweak here, right. This is another way of getting rid of ObamaCare, Bryan which I know --
LANZA: ObamaCare hardly works now with ObamaCare I think so. Let's discuss the facts of where ObamaCare actually lies. It actually doesn't provide the services and promise that the President Obama made, and, you know, we're correcting his mistakes. We're fixing ObamaCare because it's broken not because it's working.
BURNET: So, let me ask you though, Bryan because Trump himself as you and Kirsten were pointing out, made it clear he wanted ObamaCare to be part of the tax plan. OK, yesterday, he came out while he was in Asia tweeting, I'm proud of the Republican House and Senate for working so hard on cutting taxes and reform. We're getting close. Now how about ending the unfair and highly unpopular individual mandate in O-care and reducing taxes even further, cut top rate to 35 percent with all the rest going to middle income cuts.
It sounds like he's way more involved in the details of this plan, Bryan than we knew. And again, to the point I made at the beginning, I can hear it now. Thirteen million more uninsured so the president can cut the top rate on the wealthiest Americans to 35 percent. Hard to sell.
LANZA: It's not hard to sell because when you sell the status quo, which has led to the biggest, you know, income redistribution to the top one percent in American history and voters see that's taking place and the taxpayers see it's taking place, they realize the status quo doesn't work.
What the president does is he's bringing the tax reform plan that actually affects all Americans in a positive way as opposed to the current structure which actually punishes workers, middle income workers and their wages. I think the status quo has been a failure for the American people.
Look what's happened in the last 30 years with the redistribution of wealth to the one percent. What we're bringing as a tax code that actually impacts and has a positive effect on everybody. And is it a risk to bring in ObamaCare, you know, individual mandate, you know, at this last minute?
I mean, it's something we've discussed for more than just two months. You know, it's been in the hemisphere of conversation for a long time now. And now you have, you know, Senator John McCain who was somebody who helped stop the repeal of ObamaCare just a couple months ago now coming out in a statement saying he supports this.
I think that the momentum is moving forward in support of this. We need to get the House Republicans on board, and then we'll see where the chips lie. But the process is a sloppy process and that's just governing.
BURNETT: But it's significant, you know, when you point out John McCain, right, who was the one of course who torpedoed one of Trump's attempts to get rid of ObamaCare.
And Kirsten, what does that say to you? Is this something that the president will get? Not only will he get one major legislative reform, tax reform, he will get two, he will get potential repeal of ObamaCare. POWERS: He may get it, yes. I mean, right now, it looks like you have Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski who are the two that haven't said where they would stand on this but you have Rand Paul who was very problematic in the past, and you have John McCain who was problematic in the past.
[19:25:06] And so, you know, if you lose two, then I guess Mike Pence breaks the tie. So it's very possible that they could, but let's remember that Donald Trump, I remember him saying that he didn't want to just leave people without health insurance. I mean, that's what he ran on and now, essentially, the Republicans are saying we're just going to get rid of it. We're going to get rid of the individual mandate, and you're saying, you know, Bryan, well, it doesn't work.
But, you know, people are going to lose health insurance.
BURNETT: Right, and that's going to be the big question. Of course you lose it, and they're not going to immediately replace it. We've seen the issues with that. But obviously, a crucial and major development with ObamaCare possibly going away as part of the tax reform bill.
Thanks to both.
And next, breaking news. Roy Moore is about to speak live. A speech we just learned about a little bit ago. Is he going to step aside? If that's going to happen. That speech, momentarily. We are awaiting that.
And breaking news, we are learning more tonight about a killing spree at a number of locations including an elementary school that ended in a roadside gun fight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Breaking news, Alabama Senate Candidate Roy Moore just arriving in a Baptist church in Alabama. He is about to speak.
CNN was at the church. Moore refused to answer questions about whether he'll step aside after being accused of sexually abusing at least two women who were teenagers at the time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good evening, Mr. Moore.
ROY MOORE, GOP SENATE CANDIDATE: Good evening. Sorry, no interviews. Sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Moore, can we ask you a quick question?
MOORE: If you're going do that, you can leave. We said no interviews.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BURNETT: But all eyes will be on Moore because he is about to speak tonight. We expect that to happen momentarily, as we get ready to bring it to you, see what he says about his future, whether he's staying in or not.
Jason Carroll is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROY MOORE (R), ALABAMA SENATE CANDIDATE: This is absolutely false.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Roy Moore is not backing down, calling out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell today, tweeting: Alabamians will not be fooled by this #insidehitjob. Mitch McConnell's days as majority leader are coming to an end very soon. The fight has just begun.
Moore says the allegations of sexual abuse against him are part of a political conspiracy to get him out of the race. McConnell says it is time for Moore to step aside.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: He's obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate. And we've looked at all the options to try to prevent that from happening.
CARROLL: But here in his hometown of Gadsden, Alabama, Moore has many friends.
CHARLES HART, RETIRED ATTORNEY: He was always fair to me. He was always honest.
CARROLL: Charles Hart remembers Moore as a man who was respected by his peers when he was district attorney here. But the recent allegations are taking a toll.
(on camera): What are your thoughts now?
HART: My thoughts now are from things I have heard since then, that I believe in the behavior that he's been accused of doing. But I'm just saying, I'm disappointed in Roy, and I wish -- I wish he would own up to what I think happened. I just wish Roy would come forward and not hide behind the bible. I don't like it. I never have.
CARROLL (voice-over): Dave and Paula Wilson are among some we spoke to who had heard Moore looked for teenage girls at places like the local mall.
(on camera): For years, you had heard --
PAULA WILSON: Rumors.
DAVE WILSON: People knowing this was going on. Knowing what he's like.
CARROLL (voice-over): "The New Yorker" reported Moore was banned from the YMCA because of his behavior, not according to Alice Bircheat. ALICE BIRCHEAT, YMCA BOOKEEPER: Never denied membership. If he
wanted to come back in today, I'd be glad to take his money again.
CARROLL: Bircheat has been the bookkeeper at the Y for nearly 40 years.
BIRCHEAT: We never had any problem with Roy.
CARROLL (on camera): What do you make of some of the allegations that you're hearing that he used to come here to the Y to look at young -- look at young women.
BIRCHEAT: Well, he came in the middle of the afternoon, about 1:00 in the afternoon, and there weren't any girls here.
CARROLL: What do you make of those coming forward and accusing him of sexual misconduct, sexual abuse?
BIRCHEAT: I just don't know.
CARROLL (voice-over): Charles Hart, on the other hand, has made up his mind. He believes the accusers and not the man he says he thought he knew.
(on camera): Does it pain you to say that?
HART: Well, it pains me to say it because I have a good friend who is one of his good friends, and again, I knew him and trusted him. And, you know -- and so it pains me that it's come to this.
CARROLL: Do you think he will stay in the race? Or do you think eventually --
HART: Roy has never quit anything in his life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: Well, just about a half hour from now, Roy Moore will be speaking at that Baptist Church. Many waiting there to see what he will have to say.
Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee, Erin, has announced they have backed out of that joint fund-raising agreement that they had with the Moore campaign -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Jason. That's obviously a very significant development.
Moore is continuing his defiance. I mean, we'll see what he says. As I say, he's going to speak momentarily. We're going to bring you that live. But he has so far today continued his defiance against the allegations of sexual abuse. He has blamed a lot of others instead. Establishment Republicans like Mitch McConnell, by name, Democrats, and the attorney Gloria Allred who is representing one of the accusers.
And she is OUTFRONT with me tonight.
And, Gloria, it's good to have you with me.
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY FOR ROY MOORE ACCUSER: Thank you.
BURNETT: Look, Roy Moore is calling you out by name. I want to read for our viewers who don't know what he said about you. He said: Gloria Allred is a sensationalist leading witch hunt. And she is only around to create a spectacle. Allred was the attorney who claims credit for giving us Roe v. Wade, which has resulted in the murder of tens of millions of unborn babies.
And then Roy Moore's his wife Kayla also came out about you personally, Gloria, saying in Facebook: we knew something was coming. Just did not know what next. This is the same Gloria Allred that did the very exact same thing to Trump during his campaign.
How do you respond to their claims and personal denigration of you?
ALLRED: Well, Erin, I always believe that when there are personal attacks, it usually means they don't have a good argument about what we have stated. And so, they're trying to change the subject from my very brave client, Beverly Young Nelson, who alleges Mr. Moore sexually assaulted her when she was 16 years old and a waitress at the Old Hickory Restaurant there in Alabama and tried to redirect the conversation to me.
[19:35:18] But as they say in some places in the South, that dog won't hunt, because the issue is Roy Moore. Did he or did he not sexually assault my client?
Now, she is willing, Erin, and she said this yesterday, and I said it at the press conference. She's willing -- in fact, she asked to be able to testify under oath, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help her god before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, and also before the United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics.
And today, I formally sent a letter to both of those committees, an e- mail to both of the chairs of those committees asking them to schedule a hearing within two weeks. She will voluntarily testify. She doesn't need to be subpoenaed, but they should subpoena Roy Moore.
If he wants to deny it, let him deny it under oath, and let's see it. Let's see the cross-examination of him. Unless of course he wishes to take the Fifth Amendment in which case, well, we'll all have some feelings about that as well, I'm sure.
BURNETT: So, Gloria, your client, and you say I think importantly, you use her name, Beverly Young Nelson. Look, she's out there. She's put her name out there. She was the first accuser to appear on camera.
She was very emotional. She was incredibly believable. She also has evidence that she knew Moore because of her yearbook, which he signed. OK? ALLRED: Yes.
BURNETT: You can see it. Now I'm showing it for our viewers.
I want to play exactly what she said happened here with the yearbook, and then play Roy Moore's response. Here it all is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEVERLY YOUNG NELSON, ROY MOORE ACCUSER: He wrote in my yearbook as follows: to a sweeter, more beautiful girl I could not say merry Christmas. Christmas 1977. Love Roy Moore. Old Hickory House.
MOORE: I never did what she said I did. I don't even know the woman. I don't know anything about her. I don't even know where the restaurant is or was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OK. So, Gloria, your client has a yearbook signed by Moore, which he signed, love Roy Moore, to a 16-year-old. He was 30. He included the name of the restaurant where they met. That's Old Hickory House.
And yet he says, you saw him yesterday, he does not know her. He has never heard of this restaurant.
How can that be?
ALLRED: Well, again, as they say in some places, he's got a lot of splaining to do. And he needs to do that splaining under oath. And there's time to do it. It should be done in the next two weeks. The election is in four weeks. So, let's have it on.
By the way, we did prior to having this press conference yesterday, lawyers in my firm did speak to her mom who is 77 years old. And her mom confirmed that Beverly told her mom about four years ago what happened. And that Beverly's mom said to Beverly, why didn't you tell me this before? And Beverly indicated, according to her mom, that she was afraid of the power of Roy Moore.
But now, and her mom today is quoted as saying, you know, Beverly tells the truth, even if it hurts. And so, she's standing by her daughter. And also, of course, Beverly told her sister within two years of the alleged incident.
BURNETT: So -- and that's important, too. When you talk about four years ago, but she also did tell her sister within two years, commensurate with the time which is important.
Gloria, obviously, now, you're out there and associated with this story. Do you think there are more accusers coming forward? Has anybody reached out to you in addition?
ALLRED: Well, I have no comment on whether anyone else has reached out to me because I always protect the confidentiality of anyone who contacts me, including the fact that they contacted me and the content of any conversation or communication I may have had with them. So I'm unable to state whether anyone else has contacted me.
But, you know, this may not be all of the evidence that we have presented yesterday. And so, we're looking forward to that hearing. Let's see if the Senate is going to schedule it or not.
If they don't schedule it, Erin, well then, Beverly will have more to say in two weeks. But right now, she would like to be able to say it under oath, and she's willing to be cross-examined.
So, I don't know why the Senate -- which appears to be very concerned and Mitch McConnell appears to be concerned, doesn't just schedule a hearing and let's have it on.
BURNETT: All right. Gloria Allred, thank you very much. I appreciate your time tonight.
ALLRED: Thanks.
BURNETT: And as I said, we're awaiting Roy Moore, and he'll be speaking live any moment. The big question, what will he say? We're going to bring that to you live.
Next, more breaking news.
[19:40:01] Four people are dead tonight. Authorities are desperately looking for answers after a man shot up a California elementary school.
And on a much lighter note, Jeanne Moos on this image which has gone viral.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Breaking news. A gunman goes on a deadly shooting spree at seven locations, including an elementary school. The gunman killing four people. It happened in northern California.
Officials just releasing new information. They say the gunman tried to make his way into an elementary school with a semiautomatic rifle. Think about that for one moment. Remember Newtown.
Tonight, the assistant sheriff saying thanks to the staff at that school, the shooter was not able to enter the halls.
Dan Simon is OUTFRONT live in Corning, California.
And, Dan, unbelievable what happened here. What are officials saying went down here at the school?
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, first of all, this apparently began as some kind of neighborhood dispute, and then evolved into something far more dangerous and far more sinister.
[19:45:01] Apparently, after an initial burst of gunfire, the shooter then took a truck. He stole a truck and then began randomly shooting into people's homes. And then at a certain point, he crashed that truck and then carjacked a sedan. Then. as he was driving towards that school, he started shooting randomly at cars. And he actually hit a young mother who was driving her children to that school.
That mother apparently is at the hospital fighting for her life. Her son was also injured. He apparently is expected to be OK. And then once, Erin, he arrives at the school, just a burst of gunfire. He goes on to the school grounds, fires apparently 30 rounds, according to the sheriff.
I want you to listen now what happened next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHIL JOHNSTON, TEHAMA COUNTY ASSISTANT SHERIFF: The shooter literally took his vehicle and rammed their fence and gate, entered the grounds on foot with a semiautomatic rifle that had multi-round clip. He was wearing a load-bearing vest that you sometimes see soldiers wear that have the clips embedded in the chest. It appears that because he couldn't make access to any of the rooms, that they were locked, that he gave up and re-entered the vehicle and then went on his killing spree and took it to the streets of Rancho Tehama.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: The sheriff reiterating several times that because the school went under lockdown, several lives, many lives. Erin, were likely saved because the shooter apparently did not have access to some of those classrooms. Got frustrated and then simply left.
A short distance away, he was caught up by deputies. They engaged in a gun fight. And the shooter was shot dead -- Erin.
BURNETT: Dan Simon, thank you very much.
Horrific, what happened and miraculous if you think of what could have happened in the school.
Next, president Trump after 12 days in Asia didn't say a word about the genocide in Myanmar. Tonight, he breaks his silence. And we're on the ground with another exclusive report.
And on a much lighter note, this image. Do you see Trump? Jeanne Moos is OUTFRONT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:50:13] BURNETT: Breaking news: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is meeting with Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, tonight. It comes after President Trump had a closed door lunch on the last day of the Asia trip finally addressed the slaughter and genocide of more than a thousand Rohingya people, a Muslim minority in Myanmar.
In our exclusive series, Clarissa Ward reveals the great risks Rohingyas are taking jus to try to survive and flee persecution. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At first light, you can see them dotted along the coastal road. Homeless, stateless, huddled in the cool dawn. They're known as the most persecuted minority in the world.
The distance they have come is not far, but the journey is long. For many, it begins on this river, that's Myanmar on the other side. Every day, hundreds of Rohingya Muslims try to cross it to safety.
(on camera): So, we can see now coming towards the shore, one, two, three, four, five, six different rafts. All of them have at least 20 to 30 people on them.
(voice-over): Crudely made of plastic and bamboo and laden with whatever belongings that could be salvaged.
They're not welcome on this shore, the coast guard waves them further on. So we wait out to talk to them.
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WARD (on camera): How are you?
How many hours have you been on the boat?
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WARD: Since early in the morning? Do you know how to swim?
(voice-over): No one does, yet the raft is full of children.
Of course we are worried, look she has two babies, this woman tells us. The kids were practically slipping off the raft.
The U.N. says scores of Rohingya have died making this crossing, but that hasn't stopped them from trying. We can't follow them any further. So, they drift on down the river unsure of what awaits them.
They're best hope is that they end up in one of these camps. The aid workers have called a massive slum in the jungle.
Bangladesh is struggling to cope. Another 200,000 refugees are expected in the coming weeks. For the refugees, life here is a constant battle. Dignity is hard to come by.
These are refugees with no refuge. As dusk approaches, we happened upon a group who made it to shore. They tell us they crossed at 2:00 a.m. to use the cover of night.
(on camera): Where will you go from here?
(voice-over): We will go wherefore they will take us, she says. But whatever happens, we won't go back.
Dependant on a mercy of a world that has so far shown them none.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WARD: And, Erin, Rex Tillerson is expected to issue a stern warning to the generals who run Myanmar, also the country's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but many are saying, is that going to be enough? There are a lot of people who say that Aung San Suu Kyi should have to give back the Noble Peace Prize and there should be talking about reinstating sanctions against Myanmar -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you so much again for another incredible report, Clarissa.
And next, on a much lighter note, the one and only Jeanne Moos.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:57:51] BURNETT: President Trump has a new doppelganger and it's not what you think.
Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We like seeing things, Jesus in a Cheeto, the Virgin Mary in a grilled cheese.
A question mark on a cow.
(on camera): Does he have any punctuation mark on him?
(voice-over): But if you think you've had an ear full, Donald Trump, check out what's in the ear of a beagle in Britain named Chief. Brace yourself.
Some howled with laughter.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Others found it violently upsetting.
Owner Jade Robinson (ph) was talking photos of her beagle's ears to give to the vet because Chief had an ear infection. A friend first noticed the resemblance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She'd say, it's something in the ear. She's like it's Donald Trump.
MOOS: Jade posted the photo to Facebook, Chief went viral.
(on camera): Is it an inflammation? Is it an infection? What is it that looks like Donald Trump?
(voice-over): Apparently, the infection caused the inner ear to become.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Inflamed and red.
MOOS: Josh Groban who once sang Trump tweets, sent this tweet about the ear image: it's like a fetus Trump is whispering into the ear, I'm disturbed but can't look away.
Someone else replaced the real's president Trump's head with Chief's ear.
As bills from the vet mounted, Jade started a Crowdfunding page was start requested donations soon surpassed her goal of around $600. As for Chief, his ears are improving for treatment.
But he's not into Facetime.
(on camera): So, once the infection is gone lot beagle's ear by clear of Donald Trump?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Possibly.
MOOS: Until then, he's got the ear of the president. Hail to this Chief.
Jeanne Moss, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: I'm sorry, count me in the group who just cannot look away from that. Been enjoying it since the moment I saw it.
Thanks for joining us.
Anderson's now.
