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Erin Burnett Outfront

New York AG Prepares To Seize Trump Assets, Eyes Properties Near NYC; Fani Willis Pressing Ahead In Trump Case, Eyes Summer Trial; New Video On OutFront Of Civilians Trapped Inside Gaza Hospital; Biden Dominates Fundraising, Mocks Trump As "Broke Don". Aired 7-8p ET

Aired March 21, 2024 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:41]

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:

Ready to seize. The New York attorney general moving to take Trump's properties unless he gets half a billion dollars by Monday. A top real estate attorney who has sued Trump and won is OUTFRONT.

Plus, President Biden with a big time fundraising lead over Trump, but it does not stop there. We're going to show you tonight just how far behind the Republicans are from the Democrats right now.

And new video tonight showing hundreds of migrants rushing past razor- wire at the southern border. This is incredible footage in the United States. What caused it? We're going to take you there live.

Let's go OUTFRONT

And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett.

OUTFRONT tonight: ready to seize. The New York attorney general making a major move to take Trump's prized assets, filing paperwork in New York's Westchester County, which would allow her to take control of two of Trump's prized properties if she chooses. James at the ready to seize, if Trump doesn't get the $464 million bond by Monday.

Now, Westchester is just north of New York City. It has the location of one of Trump's private golf courses and his estate known as Seven Springs. Seven Springs is 50,000 square feet, just the structure, 60 rooms, 15 bedrooms, three pools, and a reported bowling alley.

Just listen to Trump's son, Eric.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S SON, TRUMP ORG. EXECUTIVE VP: When we first bought the property in '96, I was about 12, 13 years old at the time and it's really my brother and I and my father during the summers would always put us to work.

One of the things that makes this property so you unique, need really one of a kind. It's 230 acres in Bedford, New York. There's no piece of land in Westchester, government or otherwise, that's even close to that size. I mean, one of the highest points in Westchester, we are the highest house in Westchester.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: This property was key to James's case. And in 2014, it was valued at or below $30 million. But that, of course, is way short of a $464 million bond, which is why James may also need to seize properties in New York City, including Trump Tower itself, 40 Wall Street. We've talked about those.

It's also why James has her eye on other Trump properties further afield, like Trump's national golf club in Jupiter, Florida. James featured that club in her successful lawsuit against Trump. And it's one of Trump's self-described gems, 18-hole golf course design by Jack Nicklaus, and the Jupiter complex is valuable right now to the Trump family.

The Trump Org office in Florida is there where Don Jr. and Eric work, and they both live in Jupiter. In fact, they're planning to build a 45,000-square-foot office complex there now at the Trump National Golf Club there. The price tag reportedly $12 million to $15 million according to "The Palm Beach Post".

The reporter who first broke that story, Alexandra Clough, will be joining me in just a moment.

The bottom line, though, is that this hour, Trump is posting on social media, saying it is too expensive for him to meet that $464 million bond posting in part, and I quote him, putting up money before an appeal is very expensive. And the emphasis is his, not mine. All caps on that.

So expensive that he is begging his supporters to bail him out, sending out a fundraising message, slamming the judgment to them with a link to a website. That website is to donate money.

And this is really worth emphasizing, because whatever you think about this judgment, fair or unfair, it is really hard to wrap your head around asking regular Americans to pay for this, because Trump says he's a billionaire. And no matter what, he is, he's got a lot of money. And his supporters, the ones that he's sending texts like that out to asking to donate to pay his legal bills are not.

In fact, we wanted to look at the numbers. So here's what we did. We went back and looked at who voted in the first state that voted this year. That was, of course, Iowa.

And in the Iowa caucuses, 63 percent of the people who voted for Trump made less than $50,000 a year, less than $50,000 a year. And Trump has no problem asking these people to pay for his legal bills.

Kara Scannell is OUTFRONT live outside Trump Tower to begin our coverage.

And, Kara, is there any sign at all that Trump is going to meet Monday's deadline for the $464 million bond? KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Erin, as of tonight, there is no indication that Donald Trump is any closer to posting a half a billion bond. He's still has a few days to come up with the money or if he gets lucky to New York appeals court will say he composed to lower mount or not posting any of it until this whole appeal is over.

[19:05:09]

But meanwhile, the New York attorney general is starting to take the initial steps to prepare to move forward and see some properties. As you mentioned, she's filed paperwork in Westchester County where the family compound Seven Springs is and where Trump also has a golf course.

She could also move to seize properties in New York. That's where this initial judgment was filed, including Trump Tower and Trump's triplex apartment on the top floors, which she could also move to see you this is planes or go after his bank accounts. You know, either way, whatever option plays out next, it's not going to be quick and easy and Trump is expected to fight it all the way -- Erin.

BURNETT: All right. Kara, thank you very much. Outside Trump Tower, of course, one of those properties potentially on the list.

OUTFRONT now, top real estate attorney, Adam Leitman Bailey. He's successfully sued Donald Trump for fraud over Trump SoHo Hotel.

Adam, you and I have talked many times about that over the years. And here we are tonight, the Attorney General Letitia James, obviously, one that the case in New York, so she could go ahead with property seizures there on Monday if she wanted to. She's got a judgment in Westchester County, home to both Trump Seven Springs estate and one of his golf courses, as I was showing everyone pictures of.

What does this tell you about how quickly she is ready to seize Trump's properties?

ADAM LEITMAN BAILEY, REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY: They -- the attorney general is ready to go. They're ready to go after his money to try to fulfill the judgment. The question is, how hard is it going to be to collect? And I will tell you straight up, it's going to be a very difficult collection process if -- if they cant see it is liquid assets which are the first thing I would do if I was the attorney and litigator collecting assets is send the proper documents out to seize the bank accounts.

I would send the -- I would send the notice to every bank account in the United States of America, every bank in the United States of America, letting them know that we have this judgment, and we want to collect and see how much money you get.

We know from the Trump 2021 tax return that has at least $300 million in liquid assets. We know that he has more than that today. That's the first thing I would go after.

BURNETT: All right. So let me ask you, you said in that filing, more than $300 million and more than that today in liquid assets. And he's testified, of course, he has $400 million in cash.

Do -- do you think James actually knows where he's keeping all that money or -- I mean, what you're describing is sort of send it to every bank because its a needle in a haystack. Is that at really the way this is or do you think that she does know where those liquid assets are?

BAILEY: We know that she knows a lot because she's deposed him. She was deposed him, and everyone in the family, so many times. So we know that she knows a lot.

But that's not enough and there's not that many banks left in the United States of America. We know most likely they're planted in New York and Florida.

Now, if they're in his name, they're very easy to get to. However, if they're in LLCs or in trusts much harder, there'll be court battles over breaking up the LLC, seeing who's in them. If the LLCs are not named in the loss -- in the judgment, you're going to have battles in court over who has rights to them, who's a member of them, who has the right to get to them.

And what is Donald Trump trying to do? Two things. He tried to keep his money, number one. And number two if he does -- obviously, if he doesn't post a bond by Monday, and number two, you tried to get to November. If he wins the presidency -- everything's on hold for four years.

BURNETT: So what do you think James should do first on Monday of Trump fails to meet the deadline? I mean, you know, obviously, outside the liquid asset point which you've made. But what does she do first in terms of property seizures?

BAILEY: Right. So she has a list of all his properties. She knows every property in the United States of America that he has. Unfortunately, unfortunately, most of those properties have mortgages on them.

The banks, the lenders get paid first when she forecloses on them and she takes those assets. The lenders get paid first, therefore, we don't know how much money is left on those assets after she forecloses on them. We know that a lot of those assets are overly inflated. That's something that Trump is very well -- he's very good at as you and I have discussed in the past and then he's the king of.

But what are they really worth at how much? And remember, what's going on in New York City today. We're in a real estate crisis and chaos.

[19:10:01]

We've never had a commercial real estate market like this in the history of real estate. So it's the worst time to sell.

BURNETT: So, you know, Trump well, because you have faced them in court a number of times, right. And you and I have talked about the SoHo property where you were victorious about how much -- you know, they said they sold more apartments than they had.

You think that he could be getting desperate to come up with the money I know at this point. So who do you think he might be turning to, to get it?

BAILEY: Remember, there's campaign finance laws. So he should be turning to friends of his. He probably wants to stay away from Saudi Arabia and Egypt where that's probably the easiest money to obtain. But he probably wants to find people he knows already, like an Elon Musk type who we could do really great favors for like banning imports of cars in exchange, he takes a loan of that that much money.

I'm sure he's on the phone right now trying to get someone to loan him that much money or a portion of that money in order to avoid this whole fiasco.

BURNETT: Well, what should be an incredible to see a whole another layer to this.

Adam, thank you very much. It's good to talk to you.

BAILEY: Thank you for having me.

BURNETT: All right. And I want to go OUTFRONT now to Alexandra Clough, "The Palm Beach Post" reporter who first broke that story, that the Trump Org is building a new up to $15 million office complex at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, even if Donald Trump says he doesn't have the money he needs by Monday's deadline.

And beyond the Trump properties James is eyeing in New York, Trump's club in Jupiter could be important on this list for the attorney general.

And, Alexander, you have been doing so much reporting on this particular property and it's a significant one for a lot of reasons. Why do you think James may have her eyes on Jupiter?

ALEXANDRA CLOUGH, PALM BEACH POST STAFF WRITER: Well, Erin, Jupiter is northern Palm Beach County. And during the pandemic, a number of Wall Street companies and private equity firms move their offices to West Palm Beach in northern Palm Beach County. And a lot of executives want to live in northern Palm Beach County because it has a lot of beautiful county communities, golf communities --

(VIDEO GAP)

BURNETT: And it looks like about -- oh no, go ahead.

CLOUGH: Yes, so I was just saying that a lot of companies move to Palm Beach (VIDEO GAP) pandemic and it looks like (VIDEO GAP) are you there?

BURNETT: Yeah. I'm here. I'll just give you one more try here. I know that it keeps freezing, but just to explain why you're saying because a lot of businesses move there and people move there. So I guess that's the -- you just seen this incredible surge in asset values. CLOUGH: That's right about double in the past few years.

BURNETT: Doubled in the past few years. So in the Trump Org fraud case, Alexandra, James cited the Jupiter property as a major example of how Trump had fraudulent inflated the values of his properties.

You know, he had said it was worth $62 million a year after we bought it for $5 million and that was what around 2012. That's 1,000 percent in one year. Okay, that sounds insane.

CLOUGH: Right.

BURNETT: But then, subsequent to all of this, something that could affect James looking at trying to get to her value of $464 million by property seizures, something happened that made Jupiter one of the hottest and fastest-growing markets in real estate. Its worth a lot of money now, right? Because of COVID.

CLOUGH: Yes, exactly right. It's very hard to find that size of land. And there were probably be people lining up to buy that property if it became available for sale.

BURNETT: Wow, lining up to buy it and you think lining up to buy it what we've seen, some of these markets. I mean, even cash?

CLOUGH: I couldn't say about cash, but there certainly are a lot of millionaires and billionaires. In fact, we say around here that the billionaires kicked a millionaire is up off of Palm Beach, which is where Trump lives and has Mar-a-Lago and its only about 20 miles south of Jupiter.

So there's a tremendous amount of money, a tremendous amount of financial firms, Wall Street firms, private equity firms, and family offices that now call Palm Beach County home.

BURNETT: All right. Alexandra, thank you very much for sharing your reporting with us.

And next, we have some new reporting tonight that Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis is pushing to try Trump in August, taking no pause after the entire are imbroglio with Nathan Wade, as New York's D.A. says no more delays there either. So, will Trump actually get a verdict before the election?

Plus, caught in the crossfire. New video showing terrified men, women, and children trapped inside of Gaza hospital. And this is happening while Israeli forces are targeting what they say are militants operating inside the medical complex. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, is my guess.

And President Biden tonight opening up a sizable lead in the race for cash. So just how far behind is Trump? We're going to give you all the numbers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:19:22]

BURNETT: Tonight, full steam ahead. CNN exclusively learning that the Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis is not giving an inch on her schedule to start Trump's Georgia election trial. Sources telling CNN that Willis will re-up her request as for an August 5 start date, not slipping at all. If she gets her way, that means a televised trial for Trump on his efforts to overturn the Georgia election while people are voting.

Also today, the Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg says there is no reason for further delay in his criminal trial against Trump. So if he gets his way, that that means that trial starts in less than a month.

And it comes as the status of Trump's Mar-a-Lago classified documents case tonight, is at a critical point, but Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon inexplicably not announcing a trial date and raising eyebrows tonight with new directions, just given to the prosecutors and Trump's team.

[19:20:11]

OUTFRONT now, Ty Cobb, the former Trump White House lawyer.

And, Ty, I know that you have been focused on this new order by Judge Cannon this week. Tell me what stands out to you about it and why you think Jack Smith could actually have her removed from the case because of this order?

TY COBB, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE LAWYER: Yeah. This is a remarkable misunderstanding of the applicable law. It's embarrassing. You know, she's been struggling so dramatically in this case ever since the start when she was -- she butchered the special master decision and the 11th Circuit took her to task for it.

This is -- this is a total -- totally baffling position. First, she appears to believe that the Presidential Records Act is actually consequential in the case which it is not. There is. This is an Espionage Act case. This is not a Presidential Records violation act case.

This is case -- the theory that Trump has the ability to designate classified material as personal records is absurd on his face. There is no legal support for that, but she has put Jack Smith in a position of trying to draft jury instructions and advance that would posit that question to the jury. I think that it is such a fundamental error and it is -- it is so -- too reflective of bias that it does provide a basis, you know, not a dispositive basis, but it does provide a basis for seeking her recusal.

I know that former Massachusetts district court judge, Nancy Gertner, who is very highly regarded by her colleagues and lawyers, you know, had the same reaction that I had -- and I saw some reporting today where she was suggesting that they seek to recuse her on this basis as well, pointing out that she's just ignoring a raft of equally absurd motions as well, persistently delaying this case.

BURNETT: So --

COBB: A month ago, she ordered the identities of witnesses to be disclosed and Jack Smith pointed out to her that I was just not allowable. You know, she's -- she has decided to dismiss the vagueness challenge to the statute, but to the -- to the Espionage Act statute. But has suggested that it might be something that would be addressed in jury instructions at a time where jeopardy would already have been attached and the government would have no remedy.

It's really -- it's really remarkable, some of the things that she's done, to that or this fundamentally unhinged.

BURNETT: So I mean, you're using your words -- I mean, I know precisely, right? I mean, unhinged and it gets to the point where I use the word inexplicable. I mean, because it would seem that any in any normal situation, you would be able to have a trial date set at this point or you would have a judge able to do that. She has not done that.

I know prosecutors have said they want to start on July 8th. Trump wants the entire case tossed out. I mean, what do you think is going to happen here? What is she doing? We should going to announce a trial date that's real at any point?

COBB: I don't think -- well, she's not this real. I mean, she will announce the trial date at some point. Any other judge in the country would want to go announced the trial date and then simply moved it. I don't think she has any intention of letting this case come to trial before the election or before the inauguration, which may not matter if Trump loses, because the case could ultimately get to trial.

But if he wins, you know, it's highly consequential because they'll have the ability to dismiss it.

I mean, to her credit, this is not the only case that she has made fundamental errors. I mean, she recently butchered the public, right? Thanks trial by excluding a defendant -- a defendant's family from jury selection. Now that case pled, so it won't be dealt with on appeal, but she just is the wrong judge.

I wish the chief judge of the -- of the district court there would step in or the 11th Circuit would step in sua sponte as was say on their own -- on their own volition and --

BURNETT: Yes, because who would decide if Smith makes a motion to recuse -- to have her removed? Who decides?

COBB: So that would be decided by the 11th Circuit.

BURENTT: All right. I have to say, to her credit as the preface for what you said thereafter was a new use of credits.

COBB: To her credit, she could -- to her credit, she could nearly being competent.

BURNETT: All right. Ty Cobb, thank you very much. I appreciate it. COBB: All right, Erin. Take care. Nice to be with you.

BURNETT: All right.

And next, scared for their lives, thousands in Gaza are crammed into a hospital. Israeli forces are storming the complex looking for what they claim are Palestinian militants.

[19:25:00]

Plus, new video showing migrants breaking through razor wire at the border. What actually happened here? We're going to take you to the scene, live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNETT: Tonight, new video into CNN of the horrors inside Al Shifa hospital in Gaza, terrified civilians seeking safety there now trapped as Israeli siege for a fourth day. You see them here, and hallways packed in shoulder to shoulder.

Israel claims Hamas is using the hospital still as a base for, quote, terrorist activity. It claims it's killed 140 of those terrorists. But innocent Palestinians are there, and they are caught in the crossfire.

Jeremy Diamond is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A crowded stairwell at Al Shifa Hospital, dozens of women and children await Israeli military instructions. For four days, thousands of civilians have been trapped here as the Israeli military raids the hospital, targeting Palestinian militants allegedly operating inside the medical complex.

Soldiers are everywhere. The voice on the loudspeaker warns, if you leave the premises, the soldiers will shoot you. We have warned you. We have come here in order to get the Israeli hostages, then we will let you go.

Soon, word of evacuations begins to spread. Now, they're forcing out the women, the voice behind the cameras says, we don't know where they're going to take us.

The Israeli military says they have killed more than 140 militants in and around the hospital, and detained these five men described as senior terror operatives, among more than 600 suspects, the Israeli military says they've detained. Eyewitnesses say a medical personnel and other civilians have also been rounded up.

Outside the hospital, the fighting continues, as seen through the lens of Hamas militants who have been targeting Israeli tanks and troops around the hospital complex. Israeli airstrikes reducing parts of the surrounding Al Rimal neighborhood to rubble, sending thousands fleeing south.

It's a journey marked by the sites and smells of death.

We walked over the martyrs who are dead in the street. People are reduced to body parts, this woman cries. Where is the humanity?

The newly displaced, arrive on foot in central Gaza, carrying only backpacks and plastic bags, children clutching dolls and stuffed animals. Others like this mother and her triplets arrive with nothing at all.

Tanks and artillery were firing at the buildings around Al Shifa and forcing people to leave the buildings, she says. They make them leave with nothing on them, nothing. No pillow, no blanket, not even water.

Nusha (ph) isn't just fleeing the fighting, starvation that has left her eight month old babies thin and frail.

You can see them, she says. Each of them is not even two kilos -- eight months old and not even two kilos. Anyone who sees them would think they're only two months old, and they're eight months. It's a catastrophe. No water, no food, and siege, and gunfire.

But her journey is not over yet. She's heading further south in search of food and shelter, no longer taken for granted in Gaza.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DIAMOND (on camera): And as civilians continued to flee the fighting in Gaza, negotiations are very much still ongoing to try and reach a deal that could see a weeks-long ceasefire and the release of dozens of Israeli hostages.

Today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that there are still gaps between the two sides, but the gaps are beginning to narrow. He will head to Israel tomorrow to try and push for a deal. Meanwhile, the CIA director heading to Doha, Qatar, to meet with Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials, so efforts on multiple fronts, Erin, to try and reach a deal.

BURNETT: All right. Jeremy, thank you.

And OUTFRONT now, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, where the United States has, for the first time drafted a new resolution calling for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza, tied to the release of hostages. This after voting down three other ceasefire resolution since the war began. So this is a significant development.

And, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, I appreciate your time tonight. This comes in the context of Israel and the fourth day of a siege of Al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza. We understand thousands of people are said to be trapped there and then south of Gaza, Israel is preparing a major raid in Rafah.

And I wanted to ask you about this because the top U.S. general in the Middle East today says that he is not aware of an Israeli plan to mitigate civilian harm there in Rafah. How can that be?

LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: The president has been clear. The secretary has been clear in his discussions with the Israelis that there has to be a plan to ensure for the safety of civilians in Gaza. So I can't speak for the general that you spoke to, but I can say that we have a resolution currently on the table that references the situation in Gaza, particularly related to Rafah and asked that the Israelis not take any actions there that does not provide for protection of civilians.

[19:35:15]

BURNETT: Have your -- is your Israeli counterpart assured you that there is a plan or do they even address it directly?

THOMAS-GREENFIELD: I mean, my counterpart is the ambassador here. So I have not had that conversation directly with him but we have had those conversations with others in the Israeli government.

BURNETT: So, my colleague Clarissa Ward spoke extensively with Israelis ambassador who are leading a movement and to reestablish settlements in Gaza, Israeli settlements. And here is the so-called godmother of that movement discussing these plans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Arabs of Gaza lost the right to be in Gaza on the 7th of October. No Arab, I'm speaking about more than 2 million Arabs, they will not stay there. We, Jews, will be in Gaza

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Ambassador, do you condemn that?

THOMAS-GREENFIELD: In our resolution, we clearly condemn the new settlements in both in the West Bank and as well in Gaza. We've had, again, those same discussions with the Israeli government, encouraging them and urging them that no new settlements should move forward.

BURNETT: Ambassador, Israel has been relying on an A.I. system that it calls Gospel to identify attack targets in Gaza. They have not been transparent about how it works, but by their own account, the IDF hits tens of thousands of targets inside Gaza since the war began.

And just today, you lead and the U.N. passed a resolution on A.I. If this resolution were in place months ago, would it have saved civilian lives in Gaza?

THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Look, the resolution that we put forward today that the U.S. lead more than 123 countries as co-sponsors, is a resolution about the peaceful use of A.I. It's about how A.I. can provide for the needs of ordinary people, how we bridge the digital gap between less developed countries and more developed countries.

There are other forums where military use for A.I. is being discussed and being dealt with. But this resolution did not deal with those issues.

BURNETT: So I'm curious, you know, during his annual news conference, Vladimir Putin was confronted by an A.I. generated version of himself. It was just an odd juxtaposition. I mean, they were putting it front and center that they could do this, right?

So the A.I. version of Putin asks Putin whether Putin use his body doubles, and Putin then said, whoever controls A.I. will be the, quote, ruler of the world. That's what he said. He's made no secret that he wants that to be Russia.

Do you believe, Ambassador, Russia is outpacing the U.S. on A.I. development, right now or not?

THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Look, we're working on A.I., the private sector, the business sector is moving forward very, very quickly on A.I. And this is why we felt this resolution that we put forward was so important, that it lays a foundation for how A.I. will operate, how A.I. will be used and Russia was one of the countries that joined the consensus on this resolution.

So we see this resolution as putting some barriers in place, some walls around how A.I. can be used, what Putin said in a press statement, I didn't hear that statement, but that doesn't impact the importance of this resolution that the U.S. was front and center in bringing before the general assembly.

BURNETT: All right. Well, Ambassador, I appreciate your time as always, and thank you so much.

THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Thank you

BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, Biden mocking Trump over his huge cash advantage over him, and it's not just Trump himself. The RNC tonight -- are you ready for this is? -- so strapped for cash that Nikki Haley, who is no longer running, has more money in the bank, and we are going to give you all these numbers, next.

Plus, chaos at the southern border. More than 100 migrants pushing back razor wire. What exactly led to this horrific scene on the U.S. border? We'll take you there live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:44:07]

BURNETT: Tonight, an emboldened President Biden taking on Donald Trump in a new ad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And then I see the disinfectant. And is there a way we can do something like that? By injection inside?

We're doing I think really, really well. I think REPORTER: How? A thousand Americans are dying a day?

TRUMP: They are dying. That's true. And you had -- it is what it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Well, the president has money to figuratively burn. I mean, he is raised double the amount Trump did last month and he is using that money to attack Trump in ad after ad. In fact, using its openly mocked Trumps money issues at a fundraising event last night, Biden jokingly saying, Trump asked him for money and the president told obviously a receptive crowd. Donald, I'm sorry, I can't help you.

[19:45:01]

Today, he's sending out a press release titled: Broke Don hides in basement.

Everybody understands the reference there to the basement.

Okay. Harry Enten is OUTFRONT to go beyond the numbers.

So the way, you know, we're presenting this, they've got some swagger in their step on this. The Democratic National Committee, though, if we just take a step back, what you're looking at, is raising money. The RNC is struggling.

What's the context on amounts?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN DATA REPORTER: Yeah, you know, here's the situation, right? We've been talking about the presidential race. But it turns out there's more than just a presidential race on the ballot come November, right? We're talking about fight for the Senate, five for the House, fight for state houses.

And a strong national committee is very important to build at those state parties. And actually win something beyond the presidency.

Take a look at how much the DNC has raised versus the RNC. Look at this right now in 2024, more than double the DNC has raised, than the RNC, 26.5 million. Compare that to the last time that there was an incumbent Democrat running for reelection, the RNC actually outraised the DNC.

So this is something that is been cooking this year with Donald Trump having real issues with the RNC under its previous leadership. And it is very much hurting the Republican national committee's ability to raise funds.

BURNETT: It's 12.4 times just by the number you said in terms of what they're raising. Okay.

So, but -- you know, Trump should be able to mobilize money in a situation like this, running against an incumbent. I know he is in some senses, also an incumbent.

ENTEN: Sort of, yes.

BURNETT: Okay. But he should be very successfully able to do this. But that does not appear to be happening. You're seeing it everywhere.

ENTEN: You're seeing it everywhere. I mean, take a look at the RNC over the last few cycles in which there was, in fact, non-incumbent Republican running for reelection. And look, this -- this is the lowest total this century, and it's not particularly close, right? It's less than the 15.2 million in 2016. It is less than half the number again in 2012, and less than half the number in 2008.

BURNETT: Wow.

ENTEN: And if you include incumbent GOP years as well, it's still the lowest number on record. And, of course, as you know, we've had a lot of inflation. So if you took that, it's even lower.

BURNETT: I was just about to say, I mean, you're talking about 11- point -- but these numbers aren't even -- think about inflation.

ENTEN: No, it's the universe.

BURNETT: I mean, it's a stunning plunge. It is a stunning plunge. There's no other way to look at it.

And you've got Nikki Haley is not running anymore?

ENTEN: No, she's not.

BURNETT: Okay? Still many states even not running getting 20 percent of the GOP primary vote, but she also has more money than the RNC.

ENTEN: Yeah. I mean, look, if you want an embarrassing figure to put this all into context, the fact that Nikki Haley, who basically one what Vermont and Washington, D.C., has more cash on hand, then the Republican now so committee at the end of February tells you everything that you need to know about the RNC's weak state and more than that, I think it might also tell you a little bit that it didn't really matter how much Nikki Haley would spend in that campaign. She wasn't going to win it.

BURNETT: Right. And I guess maybe you could say, well, that could make the argument for how much does money matter? But one thing we know historically and politics is that when it comes down to it in the general election, it does matter and we'll see. We'll see if that's the case.

ENTEN: We will see.

BURNETT: All right. Harry, thank you.

And I want to go now to the Republican Congressman Ken Buck. He is leaving Congress tomorrow -- a bittersweet, a bittersweet night for you, Congressman. I'm glad to have you with us and that you're choosing to spend just a few minutes of it with me. And, you know, part of why you're leaving is what's happening. I know within the Republican Party. You see these numbers that Harry broke down. You know them well. The numbers are worse than they have been in more than 15 years when you look at this for the RNC.

What does this mean, Congressman, for the Republican Party?

REP. KEN BUCK (R-CO): Well, I think you've got to look at a lot of different numbers. One, Donald Trump is leading in the polls and a lot of the swing states. Two, Donald Trump was behind Hillary Clinton significantly and fundraising in 2016. But these numbers are not good. It is clear that the Republican Party needs to gather steam.

One of the differences I think was that we had six or seven or eight at one point primary candidates who were siphoning off money from the RNC's efforts and from President Trump's efforts. So I think you'll see a rebound in President Trump's numbers, but they still are very far behind.

BURNETT: Yes, certainly are. And I know some of those Nikki Haley, some of her biggest donors actually have announced that they're actually going to be donating to Biden. I mean, there is -- there is a schism in your party and in part because of how they perceive Donald Trump within your party. And also how they're handling President Biden.

You, Congressman Buck, had been critical of your party's rush to impeach Democrats, right? I'm talking about plural, right? Mayorkas, Biden, more than one. There was that oversight committee yesterday in the Biden impeachment hearing.

At that time, and they'd somebody question -- you know, testifying from prison. There wasn't a smoking gun and they don't have the votes to go through with it. They simply don't.

Your colleague, Tim Burchett, said as much, he was very blunt.

[19:50:01]

He said we're not going to have the votes. And I don't think we ever did, all right? That's an honest assessment by Congressman Burchett.

Is it time do you think to end this?

BUCK: Well, I think the investigation is warranted in terms of looking at what Hunter Biden did. I think that we may want to look at laws that restrict the family members of the president and vice president in terms of outside of influences. But, yes, I think for the (VIDEO GAP), this investigation has run its course. It may go for another four, six, eight weeks, but for the most part, I think that the evidence has been uncovered and the damage has really been done, and the American people need to assess exactly what kind of influence was there.

But we need to move on. We need to do a much better job of spending bills. We need to do a much better job funding Ukraine, for example. There are a lot of major issues that we should be looking at. This is a sideshow and it should probably end in the next few weeks.

BURNETT: And, you know, when you say its a sideshow and you're talking about important things, Ukraine, you're talking about avoiding another government, but another government shutdown. These are things that matter deeply existentially to this country.

And your focus on them, frankly, is at odds with some of your Republican colleagues and some of them want you to pay a price for it. I was looking at things today. I only want to play them all, but they say you play party politics. They say that you're not upholding the Constitution.

And then they've come out just before you are leaving Congress and said they're going to kick you out of the Freedom Caucus just days before your exit. They're going to kick you out. Done, obviously, just petulant lead to make a point.

I have to ask you, Congressman, and I'm sure tonight is a night that you're reflecting on this. What is going to happen to your party with more and more people like you who are willing to say that important substantive things matter are leaving Congress?

BUCK: Yeah, I don't think it's good. Obviously, the number of people that's leaving has always been scrutinized. I think now you have to look at the quality of people who are leaving, who are frustrated, who can't feel like they're getting things done. And that's an important number also.

My friend Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin, what a young, bright, hardworking person who reaches across the aisle and gets great work done, leaving Congress. Those are the people I think that we need to keep in Congress. We need to deal with the important issues as you've mentioned, the spending, the situation in Ukraine, the border.

We need to reach across the aisle. We need to find compromise. We need to move forward. You don't do that with people who are just throwing bombs.

BURNETT: No. You don't and it is unfortunate, of course, that tonight is your last night. I know we'll be speaking again soon, but thank you so much, Congressman Buck.

BUCK: Thank -- thank you, Erin.

BURNETT: And next, we do want to show you this video. And we'll give you every bit of it we can in the context. This is migrants on the southern border overpowering American National Guard troops pushing through razor wire. It's terrifying. It looks like its somewhere else in the world.

So what caused it? What is happening here on the southern border? We'll go live to scene, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:57:35] BURNETT: Tonight, scenes of chaos on the American southern border. This is new video just in to CNN, which shows a group of migrants rushing a razor wire fence in El Paso. You can see members of the National Guard tried to keep them back, where our Ed Lavandera is OUTFRONT in El Paso tonight.

Ed, this is shocking and disturbing and it's happening in El Paso. I mean, I know you're there. What can you tell us about this video that we're seeing and what happened?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's important to point out that at the moment in the area where this happened is like once those migrants had reached that point, they were already on U.S. soil.

We don't know the but what instigated this, what sparked to this intensive a confrontation there along the wire, but Customs and Border Protection officials say it was a large group of migrants. We've told -- we've been told it was several hundred that essentially push through that area. And this is beyond the border wall that you see behind me that has existed here for years and then several hundred yards with past that to the river in along the way, there, there are layers of a chain link fence and razor wire that have been put in place by Texas National Guard.

This is kind of at the heart of this battle between state authorities and the federal government over the immigration crisis here. And that is the layer that these migrants appear to have pushed through to put -- also important to point out that as soon as they push through that razor wire, they ran up to this fence that you see behind me and essentially turn themselves in where they were all picked up and taken into border patrol custody.

And right now, they are in the process of being processed by immigration authorities. We're told that some of them will have asylum claims, others well be deported to large group and that processing will take some time. But that's the scene here. That unfolded just before noon today in El Paso.

BURNETT: I mean, it's amazing. So you're saying several hundred right now being processed, some will be deported. You're saying some seeking asylum, I guess that means then released her hypothetical hearing at some point.

I mean, were there signs, Ed, of any unrest on the border before this all unfolded to try to understand what happened.

LAVANDERA: Well, we've been asking around about that because this chain link fence, the razor wire has been put in place and it's been built up for months and months now. So it's not like it's new.

We've been told by several border patrol officials here that there hasn't been any sign lately of just increased tensions. Of course, all of this also happening at the same time in that there's been a lot of publicity and news surrounding Senate Bill 4, the controversial immigration law that would allow state authorities to arrest migrants entering Texas illegally. But it's not really clear whether or not that played a factor into all of this. It's important to point out at this point, we just don't know what sparked to this confrontation today.

BURNETT: No. But it is -- it is upsetting to see it on so many levels. I don't think anyone can deny that.

All right. Thank you very much on the ground there in El Paso.

And thanks so much to all of you for being with us.

"AC360" starts now.