Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Two Students Apprehended After School Shooting Near Denver; NYT: Trump Lost $1.17 Billion Over 10 Years; Trade Tensions Sink Markets; Epic Rain Strands Hundreds of Students; Iran Reduces Commitment to Nuclear Deal; A's Mike Fiers Throws Season's First No- Hitter. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired May 08, 2019 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Lyft reported its first quarter revenue grew 95 percent to $776 million.
[05:00:06] Now, despite the cost connected to its IPO, Lyft said it had has 20.5 million active riders in the quarter. That's up 46 percent. Lyft's biggest competitor, Uber, is expected to make its Wall Street debut on Friday.
Google is taking a page from Apple's book, announcing a more affordable version of its Pixel smartphone. The new 5.6 inch Pixel 3a will cost 400 bucks, half the price of the original.
Google is also adding new carrier options. Until now, these phones have only been available on Verizon. Now, the Pixel 3a will be is available on T-Mobile and Sprint. The move, part of a larger effort to enter more global markets and appeal to new customers.
EARLY START continues right now.
(MUSIC)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEANAN RILEY, STUDENT, STEM SCHOOL HIGHLANDS RANCH: We thought it was a drill until we saw the officer with the patrol rifle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not knowing if we would make it out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: One student dead, eight injured after two students opened fire on their classmates just miles from Columbine.
ROMANS: More than $1 billion over ten years. Staggering losses for Donald Trump according to documents obtained by "The New York Times."
BRIGGS: Wall Street could not sustain another day of trade uncertainty. The Dow plummets. What's in store today?
ROMANS: And epic flooding in the South. Hundreds of students stranded overnight in Texas, and the weather threat is not over. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine
Romans.
Some of those kids, still at school.
BRIGGS: Yes.
So, I'm Dave Briggs. It is Wednesday, May 8th, 5:00 a.m. in the East.
We start with breaking news overnight. One student dead, eight injured in a school shooting near Denver.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLICE DISPATCHER: Attention all units. Getting information on a shooting at STEM school. All units, we have a shooter in room 107, 107.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Two p.m. Tuesday, the moment the STEM School in Highland Ranch went into lockdown -- the students forced to evacuate. An all too familiar scene -- the kids lining the sidewalk with their hands in the air.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RILEY: We heard that there was a lockdown and we thought it was a drill until we saw the officer with the patrol rifle and tens of other police cars just coming our way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As soon as the lights go out everyone was scared for their lives. People were quiet. I felt like I was out in the open and I didn't like it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Police apprehended two students after the shooting. One of them is a teen, the other is a juvenile. Police believe they both attend the school.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY SPURLOCK, SHERIFF, DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO: Two individuals walked into the STEM school and got deep inside the school and engaged students in two separate locations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).
POLICE OFFICER: They're all going to Northridge.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Police in a tough spot, informing crying parents their children were being bussed to other locations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where are you located right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Northridge Rec Center.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's where they're taking you? Are they taking you on a bus? How are you getting transported there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how they're taking us, mom. I don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many kids were shot?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think probably -- I don't know, mom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: When students eventually reunited with their families, the relief was palpable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very comforting because not knowing if we would make it out or what since we didn't know how many there were or anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The father of one student tells "The New York Times" his son and two friends tried to tackle one of the gunmen. One of the boys was shot in the chest.
BRIGGS: People in the area just marked the 20th anniversary of the deadly shooting at Columbine High School, about seven miles away. This is the fourth shooting in Colorado since that.
No motive known for Tuesday's shooting. It happened after schools were closed while authorities scramble to find a Florida teen said to be infatuated with the Columbine massacre.
Several of the injured students from Tuesday's incident were told they're in critical condition. This now the 33rd school shooting this academic year since August.
ROMANS: The Justice Department is warning House Democrats the Trump administration is prepared to invoke executive privilege over the entire Mueller report if they move forward with today's vote to hold Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt. That vote is still scheduled.
By invoking executive privilege, the Trump administration could be trying to prevent House committees from interviewing key figures in the Mueller report. The challenge for Democrats, how hard to push the president on oversight.
Manu Raju has more from Capitol Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Dave.
Now, House Democrats are planning to still hold the Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt and later this morning after he has not provided full Mueller report and the underlying evidence as Democrats have demanded.
Now, for much of the day yesterday there had been discussions to try to reach a deal to head off this contempt vote, but Democrats are pushing forward. This could be the first time holding a senior member of the Trump administration in contempt after the administration has refused a whole range of requests, this being one that they issued a subpoena for and the administration said no.
[05:05:06] Another subpoena that the committee issued was for Don McGahn's records and testimony. The former White House counsel -- the Democrats hoped would cooperate as part of their investigation into potential obstruction of justice, but the Justice Department has said that -- the White House said that he should not comply because it could breach his confidential discussions that occurred when he was working at the White House.
But nevertheless, these are all wrapped up in the larger fights that could end up in court and could take months to play out -- Christine and Dave.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Manu Raju.
President Trump has made a career about bragging about his wealth. But last night, "The New York Times" reported his tax documents show Trump businesses lost a billion dollars over the course of a decade.
"The Times" says IRS transcripts show his businesses lost $1.17 billion between 1985 and 1994, so much that he did not have to pay income taxes at all for eight of the ten years. "The Times" writes: In fact, year after year, Mr. Trump appears to have lost more money than nearly any other individual American taxpayer. His core business losses in 1990 and 1991, more than $250 million each year, more than double those of the nearest taxpayers in the IRS information for those years.
BRIGGS: Here are a couple of his biggest losses. In 1989, he bought Eastern Airlines and lost $182 million. In 1990, he opened Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, saddling the company with $800 million in debt and lost $517 million over the next two years.
ROMANS: Of course, he ran for president branding himself as a self- made billionaire, but he steadfastly refused to release his tax returns, breaking protocol.
A lawyer for the president told "The Times", the tax information acquired was demonstrably false and he called IRS transcripts notoriously inaccurate. Mr. Trump's attorney did not cite any specific errors.
BRIGGS: Breaking overnight, Iran's president announcing a partial withdrawal from the 2016 nuclear deal with the United States and other world powers. The decision is a year after President Trump abandoned the agreement. The move comes one day after Mike Pompeo's mystery tour turned out to be a four-hour stop in Baghdad.
The secretary of state meeting with Iraqi leaders about rising tensions with Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We talked to them about the importance of Iraq ensuring that it's able to adequately protect Americans in their country. They both provided assurances that they understood that was their responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Nic Robertson joins us live from 10 Downing Street in London where the secretary meets with Theresa May today.
Nic, good morning.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, good morning, Dave.
Well, the conversation over Iran could be testy between them. Why? Because Britain, France, Germany, European Unions believe that the JCPOA, the joint nuclear deal with Iran, is the way to go forward. They want to keep it in place.
Iran is challenging this. How? They are going to keep more of the lightly enriched uranium, more heavy water. At one point, they had 10,000 kilograms of lightly enriched uranium. They had to reduce it to 300 kilograms.
But what it comes down to and what it means is that Iran will now have a shorter pathway to making a nuclear weapon. That's a concern, what the nuclear deal is all about in the first place.
So, this could cut both ways for Iran. They could see themselves now potentially face sanctions from the European Union, Germany, Britain and France. But, of course, the position from the European side is the deal is the best way forward.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will hear that from Theresa May. But Theresa May will also likely hear from him, the concern the United States has about Iran for example right now shipping short range ballistic missiles by sea from Iran in the Middle East. That's a concern. Perhaps get a better understanding of why the Lincoln carrier battle group is being moved into the Middle East.
BRIGGS: It should be an interesting meeting today. Nic Robertson, just past 10:00 a.m. there at 10 Downing Street, thank you. ROMANS: All right. To Wall Street, where uncertainly reigns. Stocks
held their ground Monday amid President Trump's trade threats. But investors freaked out Tuesday when his top trade negotiators confirmed he wasn't bluffing on hiking tariffs and that China reneged on progress.
The Dow fell about 473 points, the worst one-day decline since January. The S&P closing down 1.6 percent. The Nasdaq fell 2 percent, slipping below 8,000 for the first time since April 18, that means basically erasing three weeks of gains.
Some perspective, stocks are still up for the year. The Dow up 11.3 percent, 15 percent for the S&P 500, 20 percent for the Nasdaq. China's top trade negotiator arrives in D.C. for shortened round of talks tomorrow. Talks were supposed to start today, but delayed after trade officials confirmed the president was serious about raising tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods all the way up to 25 percent Friday.
[05:10:06] If the two sides can't work out a deal, economic growth could suffer, resulting for a trade estimates the cost of Trump's tariffs, his 25 percent tariffs and the existing taxes on high tech imports from China, all together, it will cost 934,000 jobs and raise the average expenses for a the average family of four by $767 a year. Tariffs coming to your shopping cart.
Remember, China does not pay for those tariffs. They are paid at the port of entry by American companies who can either eat the higher costs or past along to consumers.
BRIGGS: Uber and Lyft users in more than a dozen major cities including New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco will have to find another way to work this morning. Ride hailing drivers are planning to strike today just days ahead of Uber's highly anticipated initial public offering on Wall Street. They are demanding regulated fares, higher pay, and job security. The strikes are expected in United Kingdom, Australia and South America. It's expected to be the biggest internationally coordinated effort against their ride-hailing companies to date.
ROMANS: All right. Her death in a jail cell sparked outrage. Now, four years later, video emerges that Sandra bland recorded during her arrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLICE OFFICER: Get out, now.
SANDRA BLAND: Wow.
POLICE OFFICER: Get out of the car!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [05:16:07] ROMANS: Epic amounts of rain fell in Texas Tuesday. Drivers braved the flooded streets in Houston after 14 inches of rain. The Houston Fire Department received at least 250 calls for high water rescued. Fort Bend County issued a disaster declaration for flooding with a nearby river spilling over its banks.
BRIGGS: Hundreds of students in three counties left stranded. They're being housed overnight since school districts weren't able to get buses to them.
The Cleveland Independent School District posted pictures of superintendent Chris Trotter in school with the kids.
Severe storms pounded the Southern Plains since Monday. Now, more than 60 million people are at risk of severe storms today. From Texas to the Great Lakes, tornadoes also a possible threat.
Nearly four years after Sandra Bland's controversial traffic stop, her point of view is finally emerging. Bland recorded video of her arrest from inside her car. Until now, we had only seen police dashcam video. Here is all 39 seconds of Bland's video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLICE OFFICER: Get out of the car, now.
BLAND: Why am I being apprehended? You are trying to give me a ticket for a failure --
POLICE OFFICER I said, get out of the car.
BLAND: Why am I being apprehended? You just opened my car door, you just opened my car door, so you going to drag me out of my own car.
POLICE OFFICER: Get out of the car! I will lock you up! Get out, now! Get out of the car!
BLAND: Wow, wow. All of this for failure to signal.
POLICE OFFICER: Get over there.
BLAND: Right, yes, let's take this to court. Let's do it. For a failure to signal, on my school. I'm not on the phone. I have a right to record. This is my property.
POLICE OFFICER: Put your phone down.
BLAND: Sir?
POLICE OFFICER: Put your phone down, right now!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The video was published Monday by a Dallas TV station, WFAA in partnership with a nonprofit news organization, The Investigative Network. Three days after the arrest, Bland was found hanging in a jail cell.
ROMANS: Her death was ruled a suicide. Family argued she should have never been arrested in the first place. They question why the footage had not come to light earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANNON LAMBERT, ATTORNEY FOR SANDRA BLAND'S FAMILY: Special prosecutors, if they had this video and had the opportunity to prosecute, they should have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The Texas Department of Public Safety tells WFAA the premise that the video was not produced is part of the discovery process is wrong.
State Trooper Brian Encinia initially stated he feared for his life during that stop. But in 2016, a grand jury rejected that claim. He was indicted for perjury. He was fired. The charge was dismissed in 2017 after he agreed never to work in law enforcement again.
BRIGGS: All right.
Coming up, the first no-hitter of the major league baseball season putting Oakland pitcher Mike Fiers in elite company. Coy Wire has that story in the "Bleacher Report".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:23:58] BRIGGS: The Denver Nuggets have a crucial home game against the Portland Trailblazers. But the coach's thoughts were not entirely on basketball.
Coy Wire has that story in the "Bleacher Report".
Good morning, my friend.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave.
Yesterday's deadly shooting in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, hits close to home for Nuggets coach Michael Malone. He lives about two minutes away in the neighborhood and has two daughters who attend a different school. He says something has to change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL MALONE, DENVER NUGGETS COACH: It's not just Highlands Ranch. It's not just Colorado. This is an epidemic and continues to happen. That's the frustrating thing. How do you stop it?
And, you know, again, gun control, laws, whatever it might be. I'm not a politician. I want to sit up here on a soap box. I just want everybody back in highlands ranch to know we are with you. That's really important for them to know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: The Nuggets held a moment of silence before their game against the Blazers. They went on to win the game easily, 124-98. Denver can close out the series with a win tomorrow night in Portland.
[05:25:05] While you were sleeping, A's pitcher Mike Fiers was up making history. Oakland's right hander threw the season's no-hitter in a 2-0 win against the Reds. But this one almost didn't have a happy ending. Fiers owes some love and credit to his second baseman and his center fielder. They made spectacular catches in the same half inning. It happened on back-to-back pitches. This is the second no-hitter of Fiers career and the 35th pitcher to throw more than one.
What's better than hockey playoff game seven overtime? How about double overtime? Pat Maroon is a veteran, who's 31 years old, years in the NHL. He's from St. Louis. This is his first season playing for his hometown.
So, how incredible he becomes the hero for the Blues, slapping that puck past the goalie. The 2-1 win punching the Blues ticket to the western conference final. Maroon took less money on a one-year deal to come home and play in front of his family. So, what he got in return was greater than any amount of money -- his young son, there to see dad become the hero.
I'm not crying, you are, Dave.
BRIGGS: True, indeed. That was worth the pay cut. That was outstanding stuff. Thank you, Coy Wire. Have a great day, my friend.
WIRE: You too.
BRIGGS: Romans, what's coming up?
ROMANS: All right. Twenty-six minutes past the hour, Dave.
There have been 33 school shootings this academic year. The latest, two gunmen shoot nine of their classmates, killing one, eight miles from Columbine.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:30:00]
