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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Donald Trump Hits the Campaign Trail; Clinton to Give Her Private Email Server to DOJ; Top GOP Leader Meets Israeli President; EPA Blamed for Toxic Mine Spill. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired August 12, 2015 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:22] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump leading in the polls and now making his case to voters. Why he says his controversial comments about minorities and women will not hurt him.

Hillary Clinton handing her private e-mail over -- server over to the Justice Department as she faces new criticism from her opponents in the race for president. The new bad news she faces this morning.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

It is Wednesday. It is August 12th, 4:00 a.m. in the East. John Berman has the week off.

Nice to see you this morning.

Let's begin here with nearly 3,000 people cheering Donald Trump Tuesday night at his first campaign event since last week's debate. The billionaire presidential candidate gave the keynote address at a Republican fund-raiser in Birch Run, Michigan, basking in new poll numbers that show maintaining his lead in Iowa at 17 percent, followed by Scott Walker and Marco Rubio. Jeb Bush came in seventh in the Suffolk University poll, at 5 percent, behind Ben Carson, Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina.

At the Michigan event, Trump declared that he can win despite recent controversies even he can win, he says, with women and Hispanics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to do very well with the Hispanic vote. We're going to do great with the women vote. If you look at in Nevada, they did the poll, and I'm leading in the Hispanic vote, because I create jobs. And I'm going to go -- I will be creating tremendous numbers of jobs. So, I think we are going to do great.

And then the women's health issues, I'm for that. I watched Jeb Bush give the worst answer the other day. I think that is going to be his 47 percent. Now, he then went and he said, he misspoke. How do you misspeak about that?

I will be great on women's health issues. I cherish women. And I will be great on women's health issues. Believe me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: CNN politics reporter Sara Murray was at Trump's campaign event last night. She has the latest for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Good morning, Christine.

For Donald Trump, it was a warm and raucous welcome here in Michigan yesterday. He took the stage and it seems like immediately, the crowd was on their feet, cheering about his plans to secure the border, cheering about the idea of Donald Trump as the next president.

TRUMP: We are going to get the wall built and it's going to be built right. And Mexico is going to pay for the wall. Mexico is make ago fortune off the United States. Mexico -- excuse me. Mexico is going to pay for the wall. And they are going to be happy about it.

MURRAY: Now, when I talked to voters here, not everyone was sure he could actually win the Republican nomination, but they said they liked the way he talked -- not sounding like a politician and they said it was refreshing.

As for his recent fiery exchange with Megyn Kelly, a lot of the women I talked to here dismissed the idea it could hurt him with female voters. They said it's just politics as usual. They are over it and it's time for the rest of us to get over it too.

Now, for those voters who are hoping that Donald Trump would offer some specifics, today was not the day for him to do it. He did tell the media that he would have some more plans coming within the next two weeks, with specific numbers in terms of job creation, but we are still waiting to see when they are going to come out.

But for now, it seemed like the crowd was perfectly pleased to hear Donald Trump's normal stump speech with a little bit of an edge. Not your normal political event and I think the Trump campaign is perfectly happy to have a campaign event that does not look like your typical political rally.

Back to you, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Sara, thank you for that.

Now, new trouble this morning for Hillary Clinton. For the first time, the new poll of New Hampshire Democrats shows the former secretary of state trailing likely voters there.

Clinton is second after Bernie Sanders 37 percent to 44. Sanders, of course, is the senator from the neighboring state of Vermont. He has spent a lot of time in New Hampshire. Vice President Biden came in third at 9 percent.

On another front, Clinton has now agreed to turn over her private e-mail server to authorities. That decision came the same day inspector general of the intelligence community told lawmakers that at least five e-mails on the server, at least five, contained information that later turned out to be classified.

Senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

This is a significant development in the ongoing questions over Hillary Clinton and her decision to use that private e-mail during her time as secretary of state. Now, the new information is this. She has instructed her attorney to hand over that private e-mail server and a thumb drive of all of her work-related e-mails to the Justice Department. This is the biggest acknowledgment yet that the Clinton campaign believes this is a significant issue that has taken a toll on her credibility.

Her campaign spokesman Nick Merrill told CNN, quote, "She pledged to cooperate with the government's security inquiry, and if there are more questions, we will continue to address them."

[04:05:04] He also said, quote, "The e-mails have been stored in a safe and secure manner."

But, Christine, this comes only a week after the FBI said they wanted to look into the security of the e-mail to see whether any classified information could have been contained on that server. By turning over this to the Justice Department, this almost ensures the fact that this story will follow her for the rest of the campaign this fall, and into next year -- Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Jeff Zeleny, thank you for that, Jeff, in Washington.

Jeb Bush blaming the White House and Hillary Clinton for the chaos in the Middle East. In a foreign policy speech at the Reagan Library, Bush targeted Clinton's tenure as secretary of state, insisting she and the president made the world less safe with their decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That premature withdrawal was the fatal error, creating the void that ISIS moved in to fill, and that Iran has exploited to the full as well. ISIS grew while the United States disengaged from the Middle East and ignored the threat.

And where was secretary of state? Where was Secretary of State Clinton in all of this? Like the president, himself, she had opposed the surge and then joined and claiming credit for its success, then stood by as that hard won victory by American and allied forces was thrown away.

In all of her record setting travels, she stopped by Iraq exactly once.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Bush will be in Las Vegas tonight to host a town hall and his campaign confirms he will be a guest on Stephen Colbert's late show debut next month.

Ohio Governor Kasich has signed Thomas Rath to head up his campaign in New Hampshire, a move many political insiders are calling a blow to Jeb Bush. Raft is a former attorney of New Hampshire, a long time fixture in the critical primary state. He has served as a senior adviser to Mitt Romney, Bob Dole and George W. Bush. Rath says he took on Kasich because the country needs him.

A delegation of three dozen GOP congressmen set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today and the group trying to build momentum against the Iran nuclear deal, ahead of an expected vote in Congress next month. A top House Republican leader sitting down with Israeli's president and talking about -- talking with CNN about the Iran deal.

CNN's Oren Liebermann live in Jerusalem for us this morning.

Good morning, Oren.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN REPORTER: Good morning, Christine.

Prime Minister Netanyahu will find a very sympathetic audience when he meets with 36 Republicans later on today. Netanyahu has, of course, been one of the most outspoken critics, perhaps the most outspoken critic of this deal, and is lobbied against it from the very beginning. He has these Republicans lining up to vote against it. The question is, how many Democrats did he convince?

There were 22 Democrats who were here earlier this week, and he lobbied again -- he pushed them to vote against this deal just as he did the Republicans.

Now, we sat with the leader of the Democratic delegation who said some of the concerns he had over the deal, which is a snapback of sanctions and inspections resonated with what he heard here. So, perhaps, Netanyahu was able to convince some of those 22 Democrats.

Again, he should have a much easier time with the Republicans here since many of them already are opposed to the deal. It will all come down to the math, how many, if any, Democrats was Netanyahu able to convince?

Now, the Republicans did already meet with President Reuven Rivlin who shared the same concerns as Prime Minister Netanyahu, painting this deal not only as a threat to Israel security, but as a force that could destabilize the region and as a threat to American security.

Did it work? Christine, it will all come down to that vote when we find out. Those Republicans, again, expected to meet with Netanyahu a little later on today.

ROMANS: All right. Oren Liebermann this morning, live in Jerusalem -- thank you, Oren.

Iraqi forces may be on the verge of retaking Ramadi from ISIS. According to U.S. military officials, the Iraqis have the city surrounded, preparing for a final assault to recapture the city. About 10,000 Iraqi troops are in position for this offensive, with about a third of them trained by U.S. advisers. ISIS, you recall, took control of Ramadi back in May.

Nine minutes past the hour. Let's have an early start on your money this morning.

Stocks sinking around the world right now. Asian shares are down. The big story again this morning, China further devaluing its currency for the second day in a row, driving down stocks in Europe and stock futures here. A weaker yuan means a stronger dollar and that could drag down U.S. growth. It makes Chinese exports more attractive and hurts European exports and U.S. exports and the companies who make them.

Yesterday, the Dow fell 212 points, Apple alone fell 5.2 percent because it relies heavily on sales to China. China will be a big story again today in global markets and on the campaign trail as I expect many of these GOP candidates will want to talk about that.

An international hacking ring made more than $100 million from insider trading. Since 2010, federal investigators say more than 30 hackers coordinated to steal press release this early.

[04:10:02] Then, with advanced details on performance and mergers from dozens of well-known companies, this hacking team made quick trades. They funneled the money through shell companies and offshore bank accounts. Criminal charges have been filed against the hackers and arrests started on Tuesday, but hacking into the press releases as they were being written and planned by these companies were going to tell the public and trade on it first was inside information.

All right. Ten minutes past the hour.

Stunning allegations of abuse at a New York prison after two dangerous killers escaped. Details after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: This morning, inmates from a New York prison where two murderers escaped, they claimed guards beat them and treated them harshly, taking out their frustrations as the search for Richard Matt and David Sweat dragged on. A lawyer for the prisoner's legal services tells CNN his group received more than 60 complaints from inmates. They include allegations inmates were physically abused, their property was destroyed and they were held in solitary, some for weeks.

CNN cannot independently confirm the claims, but a reporter for "The New York Times" which first reported the story told Anderson Cooper about one inmate who guards repeatedly question about hearing Matt and Sweat hacksawing their way out of prison.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL SCHMIDT, NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER: This inmate, Patrick Alexander, who was a neighbor of Richard Matt said he heard nothing and was sort of baffled by all of this. Nevertheless, he was taken and interrogated several times and one time taken to a broom closet and beaten up fairly badly. This is one of the individuals who had a plastic bag over his head, he claims, and was beaten to get information out of him. And when he didn't provide the information or didn't provide the information that correction officers wanted, he said the beating got more severe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: New York prison officials say the statement to CNN that complaints are being investigated by the state inspector general.

[04:15:01] They say any misconduct or abuse of inmates will be, quote, "punished to the full extent of the law." The correctional union blasted reports of those complaints and calling those reports one-sided and inaccurate.

A Dallas area police officer who killed unarmed college football player Christian Taylor during a suspected burglary at a car dealership, that police officer has been fired. Arlington's police chief saying 49-year-old Brad Miller made mistakes leading to a deadly confrontation that put him and other officers in danger. He says Miller did not alert his supervising officer or help set up a perimeter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL JOHNSON, ARLINGTON POLICE CHIEF: This is a extremely difficult and tragic case. Our community is hurting. The family is hurting. Our department is certainly hurting. And, quite frankly, our nation is hurting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The police chief also said Miller could face criminal charges once an investigation is complete. The man's family says they have no idea why their son, their brother, would be killed. He was unarmed and in that -- in that -- in that car dealership.

All right. Sixteen minutes past the hour.

Police in St. Louis County, Missouri, releasing surveillance video they say shows a teen pulling a gun from his waistband just before the officers shot him. Police say 18-year-old Tyrone Harris began firing at an unmarked car carrying detectives near protests marking the anniversary of Michael Brown's death. Harris is critically wounded in a gun battle with police. He faces a number of charges.

The defense begins its case this morning in the voluntary manslaughter trial of a white North Carolina police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man in September 2013. The last prosecution witness, a police captain, testified Tuesday that Officer Randall Kerrick was not in accordance with department policy when he fired on Jonathan Ferrell. The expert witness saying Kerrick should have used nonlethal force against Ferrell.

New details emerging this morning in the crash that killed comedian James McNair and left actor Tracy Morgan severely injure. The National Transportation Safety Board says Kevin Roper, the driver of the Walmart truck that rear-ended Morgan's limo van had not slept for 28 hours. They also say McNair, Morgan and others in the limo were not wearing seat belts. The deadly crash happened last June shortly before 1:00 a.m. on the New Jersey turnpike.

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith out of action six to ten weeks after a teammate sucker-punched him and broke his jaw. According to the head coach of the Jets, Smith and teammate IK Enemkpali got into a fight in the locker room. This reportedly stems over a $600 loan from a plane ticket.

Officials in New Mexico and Arizona are furious with the EPA for failing to warn them about an incoming rush of contaminated water. They say no one informed them about an EPA blunder that released 3 million gallon of toxic mine waste into Colorado's Animas River. They claimed they learned about it from a local newspaper.

Meanwhile, Colorado residents are demanding answers about a pristine tributary that is painted with orange waste water.

We get more from CNN's Dan Simon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, there's really no way for the EPA to sugar coat this. This was their deal. This was their fault. But the agency says it has committed to making things right for the community.

In the meantime, the river is still closed and you can see the sign right there. And we'll show you why. We first want to point out that the water color has basically returned to normal, but there are still remnants of the toxic sludge. You can see it right here.

And we actually took some water out of the river and it looks pretty much like orange juice but I tell you what, you don't want to drink it. There is some nasty stuff in here.

Now, this all happened when the EPA was trying to clean out this abandoned gold mine but it basically backfired and you had 3 million gallons of this water spilled into the Animas River.

But officials here in Colorado are now sounding optimistic. They took some measurements of the water and they basically say that the water chemistry has returned to its normal condition. So, they are optimistic the public threat may be waning.

But you take a look at the sludge here. Residents are still worried about it and they feel like the EPA still has a lot of explaining to do -- Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Yes, a lot of explaining to do and a lot of cleaning up to do.

Over a thousand firefighters battling a massive wildfire in north California. The flames which ignited Sunday, a hundred miles north of San Francisco, almost doubled in size overnight, despite cooler temperatures and higher humidity. This blaze forcing some people to evacuate for the second time in recent weeks. So far, it has scorched 22 acres of land and it is only 5 percent contained.

[04:19:51] A Mississippi couple arrested, accused of trying to join ISIS. How they hoped to use their honeymoon to get to Syria.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: A Mississippi couple facing federal charges for allegedly trying to join ISIS. Police say the newlyweds were arrested at the airport, pretending to be on their honeymoon. But they had a much more troubling trip in mind.

We get the latest from CNN justice correspondent Pamela Brown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Christine.

This is a young newlywed couple from Mississippi who alleged used their honeymoon as a cover-up to go to Syria and join ISIS, according to the FBI. The man is 22-year-old Muhammad Dakhlalla and his wife 20-year-old woman Jaelyn Young. And they were arrested at a Mississippi airport on Saturday.

From the outside, this was a seemingly normal couple. Young is the daughter of a Vicksburg police officer and who was studying chemistry at Mississippi State University and she recently converted to Islam, law enforcement officials say. Her husband graduated last spring from Mississippi state and is the son of a local imam.

According to the complaint, Young seemed to be the most enthusiastic about joining the terrorist group. In fact, in one conversation online, she allegedly boasted how the two could help ISIS saying, quote, "I am skilled in math and chemistry and worked at an analytical lab here at my college campus. My partner is very good at computer science and media. We learn very fast and with would love to help."

Now, in July, she allegedly said on social media that she supported the shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that killed four marines.

[04:25:02] The two were first put on the FBI's radar back in May from their social media posts. They appeared in court on Tuesday in Mississippi and were denied bail.

Back to you, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Pamela Brown, thank you for that interesting story.

Twenty-five minutes past the hour.

Donald Trump making his case to voters, leading in the polls. Why he says his controversial comments about women and minorities won't hurt him at all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Donald Trump leading in the new polls, telling voters why his controversial comments on women and minorities will not hurt him. And he is launching new attacks on his competitors.

New details about Hillary Clinton's e-mails as her private server is handed over to the Justice Department.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. It's Wednesday morning, 29 minutes past the hour. John Berman has the week off. Nice to see you all, folks.

Let's start here -- with nearly 3,000 people cheering Donald Trump Tuesday night at his first campaign event since last week's debate. The billionaire presidential candidate giving the keynote address at a Republican fund-raiser in Birch Run, New Mexico, basking in new poll numbers that show him maintaining his lead in Iowa at 17 percent, followed by Scott Walker and Marco Rubio. Jeb Bush in that poll coming in seventh in the Suffolk University poll, 5 percent, behind Ben Carson and Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina with 7 percent there.

At the Michigan event, Trump declared he can win, despite recent controversies, even with women and Hispanics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're going to do very well with the Hispanic vote. We're going to do great with the women vote. If you look at in Nevada, they did the poll, and I'm leading in the Hispanic vote, because I create jobs. And I'm going to go -- I will be creating tremendous numbers of jobs. So, I think we are going to do great.