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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Manhunt For Suspect In Kansas Bar Shooting; United States Pulls Out In Syria For Turkish Military Action; Second Ukraine Whistleblower Steps Forward; Biden Speaks Out To Washington Post Op-Ed; America's Choice 2020; CNN Business; UAW Talks With GM Have Taken A Turn For The Worse; Key Witness In Guyger Trial Shot To Death; Former President Jimmy Carter OK After Fall; Joker Breaks Box Office Records; Comedian Rip Taylor Dies At 84; Prince Harry Sues British Tabloids. Aired 4:30- 5a ET
Aired October 07, 2019 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
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DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: A new whistleblower stepping forward. Lawyers saying the person has firsthand knowledge to support accusations against President Trump over Ukraine.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Joe Biden speaking out. Democratic presidential candidate says he's not going to let the president unproven accusations hurt his family.
BRIGGS: A manhunt is underway for a suspect in a deadly bar shooting in a Kansas. Police say the man is armed and dangerous.
ROMANS: The general manager of the Houston Rockets getting into international trouble over comments he's made about China and Hong Kong, the NBA is now speaking out. Welcome back to Early Start. I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: (Inaudible), biggest growth market for the NBA, I'm Dave Briggs.
ROMANS: It's not a democracy. Remember it is not a democracy.
BRIGGS: Right, no, 4:33 Eastern Time, right here in New York. We start with the latest in the impeachment inquiry.
A second whistleblower has come forward with information about President Trump. An attorney, Mark Zaid confirming to CNN that his team now represents a second person who Zaid says works in the intelligence community. Zaid says his client has firsthand knowledge backing claims made by the first whistleblower, who raised the alarms about a call between Mr. Trump and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.
ROMANS: This is likely to undercut Republican who have called the first whistleblower's claim, hearsay, based on second-hand evidence. The first whistleblower claimed the president abused his official powers, pressuring Zelensky to dig up dirt on Democratic candidate Joe Biden and that the White House tried to cover that up. The president has denied doing anything improper. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more from the White House.
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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Dave and Christine, there is now a second whistleblower from within the intelligence community, who has also raised concerns about President Trump's call with the Ukrainian president. Attorneys for that first whistleblower whose complaint set off an impeachment inquiry from House Democrat, now say they are also representing the second whistleblower.
[04:35:03]
Andrew Bakaj, one of those attorneys says in a statement, I can confirm that my firm and my team represents multiple whistleblowers in connections into the underlying August 12. 2019 disclosure to the Intelligence Community Inspector General.
Now, the second whistleblower has not filed a formal complaint, but we are told that this official has spoken with the Intelligence Community's Inspector General. That is the same Trump appointed Inspector General who found the first whistleblower complaints credible.
Now as far as the White House, their message right now is that there is simply nothing to see here. Here's a statement from the White House, Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham that she issued on Sunday. She said, it doesn't matter how many people decide to call themselves whistleblowers about the same telephone call, a call the president has already made public. It doesn't change the fact that he has done nothing wrong.
Now as for the president, he has spent much of his weekend on Twitter, where he is lashing out on his enemies, attacking the credibility of this whistleblower and also of course, going after Democrats. But the president is also attacking some Republicans. Namely one, the former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, and now, a Senator from Utah, who has called the president's requests of China and Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden, appalling.
The president taking to Twitter, to call for Senator Romney's impeachment. Even though senators can't be impeach, but the president's message here really is not just about Mitt Romney. It's about any Republican who would step out of line and criticize him. Dave, Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRIGGS: Jeremy, thanks.
A group of 90 former National Security Officials are praising the first whistleblower in an open letter. The officials who have served under both Republicans and Democrats, write, quote, a responsible whistleblower makes all Americans safer, by ensuring that serious wrongdoing can be investigate and address, whatever one's view of the matter discuss in the whistleblower complaint. All Americans should be united in demanding that all branches of our government and all outlets of our media protect this whistleblower and his or her identity. Among the officials signing the letter are, former Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel and former CIA Director, Michael Hayden.
ROMANS: Republican lawmakers defended the president over the weekend. Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell vowing to stop the Democrats push for impeachment in a campaign fund-raising video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): Why not impeachment stops, is when the Senate majority with me as majority leader, but I need your help. Please contribute before the deadline.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: South Carolina Senator, Lindsey Graham said, he wants the whistleblowers to speak publicly.
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SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): If the whistleblowers' allegations are turned into an impeachment article, it's imperative that the whistleblower be interviewed in public, under oath and cross-examined. Nobody in America goes to jail, or has anything done to them without confronting their accuser.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Wisconsin Senator, Ron Johnson spoke out following his admission last week to the Wall Street Journal that he had heard the whistleblower's claims over the summer. He explains why he believes the president's denials of wrongdoing.
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SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): When I asked the president about that, he completely denied it, he adamantly denied it. Unlike the narrative of the press, that President Trump wants to dig up dirt on his 2020 opponent. What he wants is he wants to an accounting of what happened in 2016.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Senator Johnson also made a stunning claim about America's Intelligence Agencies.
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JOHNSON: I just want the truth. The American people wants the truth.
CHUCK TODD, MSNBC HOST: So, do you not trust the FBI? You don't trust the CIA? You don't trust those agencies. (CROSSTALK)
JOHNSON: No, I don't. After James Comey.
TODD: Do you believe the FBI and the CIA, this agencies?
JOHNSON: I don't trust any of them.
TODD: You don't trust them now. Do you trust them now?
JOHNSON: No. I didn't trust them back then.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Johnson chairs the Homeland Security Committee. The whistleblower who had come forward are both from the Intelligence Community.
ROMANS: All right, Congress is out of session, but House Democrats are still holding hearings in the impeachment inquiry. On Tuesday, a source says, the U.S. ambassador to the E.U. Gordon Sondland is expected in a closed-door deposition. You will recall, he was mentioned in the whistleblower complaint as a key player.
BRIGGS: On Friday, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch is expected at a closed-door deposition. She was abruptly recalled from her post in May. The administration is accused of removing her, because she would not push Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden. It does not look as though two other depositions with State Department officials set for this week will happen. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, last week accused the panel of bullying his officials.
ROMANS: Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden is speaking out, slamming what he called the president's efforts to destroy him and his family. In an op-ed in the Washington Post, he writes President Trump slanders anyone who sees as a threat, that is why he is frantically pushing flat-out lies, debunked conspiracy theories and smears against me and my family. No doubt hoping to undermine my candidacy for the presidency. This time it won't work, because the American people know me and they know him.
[04:40:05]
BRIGGS: Biden adding that he doesn't intend to go anywhere. Telling Trump, you won't destroy me and you won't destroy my family. And come November 2020, I intend to beat you like a drum.
Democratic presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders recovering in Vermont this morning after suffering a heart attack last week. The Senator thanked voters on Twitter and said, I am recovering well and feeling much better, more determined than ever to fight alongside you to make healthcare a human right.
Sanders underwent surgery after the heart attack. His cancelled events until further notice although his campaign says he will be on the debate stage on October 15th. That event will be hosted by CNN and The New York Times.
ROMANS: Talks between the United Auto Workers Union and General Motors have taken a turn for the worst suggesting, there's no immediate end for the auto industry, the longest strike in decades. Nearly 50,000 GM employees on strike, making the largest strike at any U.S. Business since the last GM strike in 2007.
That strike was over in less than three days. This strike is entering its fourth week. They are setback follows several days of reported progress between the two sides. They hope to reach a new four-year deal. UAW vice president Terry Ditties sent a letter to members Sunday, saying the Union found GM's latest contract proposal totally unacceptable.
Major issues include the union's demand that GM find work for some or all four of plants that closed. Announce it would close, the union also wants GM to bring back some product lines from Mexico, but a source familiar with negotiations said that still has not been addressed in the talks. According to an estimate from Anderson Economic Group, the strike has cost GM about $600 million in total lost profits.
BRIGGS: Wow, All right, ahead, police warning will be on the lookout for a suspect in a deadly Kansas bar shooting. They say the man at large is armed and dangerous. That is just ahead.
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[04:45:00]
ROMANS: A key witness in former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger's murder trial has been gun down. Joshua Brown was shot multiple times in the parking lot of his apartment complex. He died at the hospital. Witnesses told police they heard several gunshots and saw a silver four-door sedan speeding out of the parking lot. No suspect descriptions have been released. Brown testified less than two weeks ago during Guyger's trial. Guyger was convicted of murdering her neighbor Botham Jean, after walking to his apartment mistaken with her own. The jury sentenced her to 10 years in prison. Brown lived across the hall from Jean. He described Guyger's actions immediately after Jean was killed. Businessman Bill Parkins has offered $100,000 reward for information in this murder.
BRIGGS: A manhunt is under way for one of two suspects wanted in a bar shooting in Kansas City, Kansas, that left four dead and five wounded. They say 29-year-old, Hugo Villanueva Morales and 23-year- old, Javier Alatore walk-in to the Tequila Kasey Bar early Sunday morning and started shooting. Alatore is in custody. Police say, witnesses told investigators that the shooting may have stemmed from an argument at the bar hours earlier. CNN's Natasha Chen has more.
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NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Christine, it's been an incredibly emotional weekend for this community. The police said that the suspect had an argument at some kind inside the bar before the shooting. And those weren't here Saturday night tell me they observed a man, who is very agitated getting into arguments with the bartender and another guest before being kick-out.
And those who stayed in the bar, tell me that that man came back hours later, with at least one other person, passing through this door that says, no firearms or weapons allowed on this property. And yet police say, they believe two suspects fired shots inside when about 40 or 50 people were there, killing four men.
We are also hearing of some incredible heroics, including one man who died as he was pushing aside another woman to save her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, he do pushed me, I was in front of him. Then he pushed me out of the way. And I was just on the floor. And there was blood everywhere. I (inaudible) crawling and tried to get to our table and trying to his --
CHEN: At a very tense vigil Sunday night, we also heard about another man who died in the arms of his fiancee inside that bar. Kansas governor, Laura Kelly, gave a statement saying, I continue to be frustrated that these mass shootings and killings occur with regular frequency. Our nation has an obligation to address this ongoing public health crisis. Dave and Christine, back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRIGGS: Natasha, thanks.
Jimmy Carter says he is feeling fine after a fall at his home in plains, Georgia. On Sunday, the accident sent the 95 year-old former president to the hospital. Last night, Carter told Habitat for Humanity volunteers in Nashville, he hit his head on a sharp edge, but he said that wasn't enough to keep him from the event.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I took 14 stitches in my forehead. And my eye's black, as you notice. But I had a number one priority and that was to come to Nashville to build houses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Good for him. Carter and his wife Roslyn, will be working with volunteers in Nashville this week to help build 21 homes for those who need them. Carter said they will be working on the porches.
ROMANS: We wish him well in his recovery. Tough guy.
All right, Joker broke box office records over the weekend, even as it's controversial depiction of violence made some, you know, theatergoers a little anxious. CNN Business has the details next.
[04:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROMANS: The prince of pandemonium is dead. Actor and comedian Rip
Taylor suffered a seizure last week and died Sunday. Taylor's signatures were the confetti toss, his handlebar mustache and he's wacky costume and props, a frequent on talk shows and game shows starting in the 1970's. Taylor also acted on broadway, film and TV, where his voice was heard on numerous cartoons, including Duck Tales and the Adams family. He is survived by his longtime partner Robert Courtney. Rip Taylor was 84 years old.
[04:55:10]
BRIGGS: Comments made by the Houston Rockets' general manager, caused the Chinese basketball association to cut ties with the team on Friday. Daryl Morey tweeted the words fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong. The tweet has been deleted and Morey said he's comments do not represent the Rockets nor the NBA. He tweeted, I was merely voicing one thought and have had since had an opportunity to consider other perspectives.
ROMANS: The NBA has responded in a statement saying, it has great respect for China and hopes to bridge cultural divides. Chinese basketball star Yao Ming, who played for the Houston Rockets in 2002 to 2011 is now the president of China's basketball association.
Listen to that voice. We told you of the homeless woman caught on video singing opera in the subway this weekend. Emily Zamourka, performed on stage at a Los Angeles event. She thanked the crowd for support she's received since that video.
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EMILY ZAMOURKA, SUBWAY SINGER: So glad about that, that I could touch your hearts with my voice. Thank you so much for all of this that is happening right now. I really thank you. I'm so overwhelmed.
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ROMANS: Since the video of her first performance went viral, Los Angeles City council member has helped Emily get housing and a hotel and is helping her look for long-term housing. She has received money more than $110,000 from donors via two internet fund-raisers. She is also been offered a recording contract.
BRIGGS: Fantastic. OK, Prince harry is now suing the owners of British tabloids The Sun, and the Daily Mirror for allegedly hacking his phone. Development comes just days after Harry launched a scathing attack on the British media, since wife Meghan Markle sued the U.K.'s mail. Max Foster live in London with the latest on this feud. Max, good morning.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Dave. Yes, the palace has confirmed these action against the Sun and the Mirror. It refers to historic phone hacking, so this could go right back to the year 2000. It was quite a common practice, it has to be said, within the tabloid media, hacking into voicemails, and getting stories from there, but it has be to the courts famously ended with the news of the world newspaper being closed down.
So, waiting to hear more detail about Harry's case about those two newspapers and what makes it different from the previous cases around phone hacking. Separately, the duchess taking action against the mail on Sunday, for unlawfully publishing a letter she says that she wrote to her father. She also says it was edited and taken out of context. But interestingly over the weekend, the mail on Sunday -- coming out with an interview with her father saying he was the one that chose to leave elements of the letter out of the publication, because he said they were just too painful.
But Dave, what this leaves is the extraordinary situation that we are going to have this big showdown between the royals and the tabloids in the U.K. courts. And it could potentially lead to a situation, where the mail calls up Meghan's father as a defense witness. While the prosecution call up Meghan as a prosecution witness. So the two meeting potentially in court for the first time in years.
BRIGGS: Boy, what a disturbing development that would be. Max Foster, great reporting for us live in London this morning.
ROMANS: Something that sounds straight out of the tabloids.
All right. Let's get a check on CNN Business this morning. Markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai were closed for the holidays. They open again, Tuesday. You could see European shares have all opened slightly lower here. On Wall Street, the futures leaning down again. The stocks closed higher Friday, after a mixed September jobs report, fueled hopes the Fed -- the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again later this month. The DOW rose 373 points. The S&P 500, the NASDAQ also had very good day on Friday.
You know, the Friday rally help cut the weekly losses for the S&P and the DOW. But the two averages still ended the week lower, marking their third-straight week of declines. The NASDAQ ended with a small gain.
Fox is returning channels to Dish customers after a two-week blackout. The companies has confirmed they reached a multi-year agreement, Sunday. While the two side negotiated, Fox blocked Dish and Sling TV customers from accessing local channels in 17 markets. Dish moves access to Fox's cable network and Fox Plus. Dish said Fox wanted to force bundle its local channels with its cable network which Dish said it would hike prices for its customers. In the end, the terms of the deal were not disclosed as Fox spokesperson said customers will immediately regain access to Fox channels and networks.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One small thing --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you bring me out, can you introduce me as Joker?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Joker shattered box office records over the weekend, despite its controversial depiction of violence. The Warner Brothers films starring Joaquin Phoenix brought an estimated $93.5 million in North America. Making it the highest grossing opening in the history --
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