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New Day

Captured Killer Reveals Plan to Escape; Greece on the Verge of Default; NBC Dumps Donald Trump Over Derogatory Comments. Aired 6:30- 7a ET

Aired June 30, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00] MICHAEL PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Not looking so bad, not looking so bad. Good to have you guys here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks, guys.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. So, the big story this morning is that David Sweat is back in custody and he is singing like a canary. The tale he's telling -- drugs and prison corruption. On the other side of the tale, are heads going to rule. We're going to take you deeper inside.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: David Sweat is talking. He says the plan was to go to Mexico. Joyce Mitchell was supposed to be the getaway driver and they did agree to reward Joyce Mitchell for her help, reward being the defined term here because the reward was killing her husband. When she was a no-show, they had no plan "B" other than run for Canada.

Sweat says that they split when Richard Matt, the other escapee, got sick about five days ago. Meantime, the FBI is investigating an alleged drug trafficking at the Clinton correction facility they escaped from involving inmates and prison employees.

PEREIRA: Greece is edging closer to default. The cash trapped country must pay the IMF $1.7 billion today. With a payment extension denied, that's not likely to happen.

[06:35:00] A referendum on the bailout deal involving budget cutbacks, major hike in taxes is expected to happen Sunday. The country's prime minister is urging people to vote no.

CUOMO: The Supreme Court blocking Texas from enforcing a new law that would close a majority of abortion clinics across the state. The justices want to decide first whether to take up an appeal in the fall. The law requires doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at hospitals and for clinics, to have facilities that could function as surgical centers.

PEREIRA: Don't mess with J.J. Watt. A stage-crashing fan learned that the hard way. The Houston Texans defense end tackling a man to the ground. The guy barely jumped on stage during the band concert in Milwaukee.

Now some people are calling foul. Some are saying it was staged. Nevertheless maybe it's a glimpse of the off-season training regiment of one of the NFL's best defensive players.

CUOMO: At what price fame? Who signs up for this one? Here's what we want you to do.

PEREIRA: I'm thinking alcohol may have been involved.

CUOMO: We are going to give you his hat. Come on stage and you get to dance, and then this freight train --

PEREIRA: Maybe they didn't tell him that part.

CUOMO: Yes, right? You get to dance on stage.

PEREIRA: You get to dance on stage.

CUOMO: I'm in. Don't worry. Don't mind a 300-pound man running at 50 miles an hour.

All right. Thousands forced to flee as a massive wildfire rips through central Washington state. The fire is gutting dozens of homes in Wenatchee, just outside Seattle. At this point, the flames are only 10 percent contained, fueled by blistering heat and strong winds.

Let's turn to CNN meteorologist, Chad Myers.

Chad, I heard you saying it's different when fires break out in this part of the country. Why and what happens?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: The wind plays a role here in this valley. This is a valley because you have mountains here and mountains on the other side. There's not much rain on a good year. This has been a dry, hot year. The winds today will be 25 miles per hour, the temperatures will be around 99. By the end of the weekend, back up to 110.

So, here is where we are going. Now, to give you an idea, there's 4,000 acres burned here. In Alaska, there's 2 million acres on fire right now. So, this is a big deal because there are people and houses in the way. In Alaska, the fires are just out of control. The biggest, highest number of an end of June season for Alaska, ever.

There's Boise, though, all the way up 103. New York, you're going to see a pleasant day, 79. There'll be a few showers in the northeast and southeast. The Fourth of July forecast, a couple showers in the big cities, but a chance of that, 30 percent or 40 percent. Don't cancel picnics yet.

Guys, back to you.

PEREIRA: All right. Good advice for all of us. Thanks, Chad. We'll be watching that. So, we are going to have more on the prison break investigation,

these new revelations from David Sweat and new allegations that there's criminal activity inside the prison that they broke out of. What else was happening behind bars as they got out?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:42:06] CUOMO: New York prison escapee, David Sweat, is talking to investigators. We now know more about the plan and more insight on why the escape may have been possible in the first place. The prison is under scrutiny, probed for drug trafficking and corruption.

Let's bring in Chris Swecker. He's a former FBI assistant director for the criminal investigative division. He led the investigation and search for Olympic Park bomber Eric Robert Rudolph.

Very good to have you with us, Mr. Swecker.

One, how valuable is Sweat in giving insight into how the escape was possible and what's going on in the prison?

CHRIS SWECKER, FORMER FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Well, he's a very significant part of any investigation whether it's inspector general or the FBI. They are going to want to know who -- who are the bad apples inside the Dannemora prison? First and foremost, then what and how they did what they did.

CUOMO: One quick question on the side note, just intrigue into this weird tale. How likely is it, in your mind, that Joyce Mitchell, who agreed to help them go to Mexico, according to David Sweat, take it for what it's worth, that these men were going to kill her husband and part of the deal and that they were actually going to keep her alive and go to Mexico with her.

Do those things surprise you?

SWECKER: They do. I don't think -- honestly, I don't think either one was likely. If she were there when they popped out of the manhole, I don't think they would take time to divert to her house just to kill her husband. I'm not sure why they would want to do that, that just wastes time.

Secondly, they had no use for her whatsoever. These are psychotic killers, they used her and they have tossed her out right away. And she would have been in a shallow grave within hours.

CUOMO: That's horrible though. But it's also insight for these investigators in terms of how to filter the investigators. If they tell them, that's the legit plan, obviously, that's the lens they have to examine everything he says.

So, now, we turn into the prison. These types of allegations with the FBI and the inspector general in the state level that you mentioned, you're looking into heroin trade, working through the employees, getting to convicts. Not the first time you have heard of it.

But what does it instruct you into terms of the investigation?

SWECKER: Well, first, this is a form of public corruption. When official prison guards and people that work inside prisons in a position of trust are committing criminal violations, not just rule breaking, this is public corruption. It's the number one priority of the criminal division. This was a very high priority.

What you see is -- what they go after is systemic corruption. At Rikers Island, 22 arrests of prison guards, in Maryland, 14 arrests of prison guards, drug trafficking, you name it.

CUOMO: Now, does it mean that if they are doing this, then maybe it's more likely they would help these convicts, does it mean that maybe it's more likely they wouldn't have been on their guard the way they should have been allowing these guys to stage this escape?

[06:45:07] SWECKER: Well, I think it is more likely. I mean, it's -- it's -- there are criminal activities conducted by guards, lax culture inside the prison is probably going hand in hand with that.

CUOMO: And in terms of expanding the investigation, because as you are pointing out, drug trade in prison is wrong, but it happens. So, what is going to be the important aspect here in figuring out who helped these guys get out? Do you think that circle is going to get bigger?

SWECKER: I do think it is going to get bigger. I think the predication for the FBI investigation is a byproduct of looking at this whole escape plan and talking to prison guards and people inside and outside the prison, talking to prisoners. So, once you turn over rocks, it keeps going on and on and on.

CUOMO: Last question, are you surprised they had no plan "B," the two escapees. If the lady wasn't there when they popped in the manhole, plan B was make a run to Canada?

SWECKER: Yes. A little bit surprised.

But, you know, the stars really lined up in this case for them. They were in a lax prison. They had privileges they shouldn't have had. They had insiders willing to help. They had access to the cat walk and all those things.

So, that was the primary, that had to be the primary plan. Secondary plan that crossed their minds she might not be there, that's probably why they threatened to kill her husband.

CUOMO: Interesting. So, you're saying they were more lucky than good, these guys. It was impressive. At the onset, in terms of the ingenuity, maybe it may have been dumb luck.

Chris Swecker, thank you very much. Appreciate the insight.

Mick? PEREIRA: All right. Chris, NBC is dumping the Donald. The

network cutting ties with the presidential candidate after the derogatory comments he made about Mexican immigrants. What it means for all sides. We'll discuss that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: The Donald getting the boot from NBC. The network cutting ties with the presidential candidate after his derogatory statements about Mexican immigrants prompted an uproar. NBC will no longer air the Miss USA or Miss Universe pageant, partly owned by Trump, who is now, of course, threatening to sue.

Let's bring in chairman and co-founder of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, Felix Sanchez, and CNN senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES", Brian Stelter.

Gentlemen, good to have you here. So much to talk to both of you about.

Brian, I start with you -- why you think it took so long to get a response from NBC.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESONDENT: Two whole weeks since the Trump presidential announcement where he made those comments about Mexican immigrant rapists and being drug dealers. Univision last week backed out of Miss USA.

PEREIRA: Yes.

STELTER: That was the domino that ends on everything else going. Over the weekend, people like Felix spoke out saying NBC you have to do something, do the right thing here. Yesterday, we heard NBC employees saying the same thing, NBC pulling the plug.

I think it took a while partly. They had to review their contracts with Trump. After all, he has threatened lawsuits in the past. He threatened lawsuits against Univision.

They wanted to review their deals, make sure they could pull the plug.

PEREIRA: Felix, let's talk about it, the cry from the Latino community has been resounding. On social media, you talk to people not just about the Univision pulling out, but everyone is talking about it, and lot of celebrities have said, I'm going to boycott, I don't want to be a part of this, I'm pressuring NBC.

Do you think this is what put it over the edge?

FELIX SANCHEZ, CHAIRMAN AND CO-FOUNDER, NATIONAL HISPANIC FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: There was -- the issue simply was that people who could have spoken out have not spoken out. For example, you know, why didn't Jeb Bush whose wife is Mexican and whose children are Mexican-American be livid about this and come out swinging immediately? Why didn't Rubio and Cruz look at this and say, we're Cuban, but this is a Mexican immigrant story, let's align with the Mexican-American community that's 2/3 of the Latino community in the United States, and go after this issue.

CUOMO: Well, Felix --

SANCHEZ: Why didn't Hillary Clinton be stronger on this? Where does Bernie Sanders on this issue?

Across the board, the people who could have spoken didn't and it created a frustration from coast-to-coast that erupted on social media.

CUOMO: Felix, there's no question, there's a plus, minus on it. You have to look at both sides. The result was a good thing. You have an outcry that speaks to an important issue.

But a lot of people don't want to take Trump seriously. So, a lot of candidates don't want to give him that oxygen.

But you are making a good point as well. He markets himself and that's the right word as plain speak. You believe this decision by NBC is a good indication in the name of plain speak, we are not going to allow bigotry anymore.

SANCHEZ: Well, that's the point. The Latino community is fed up with being the scapegoat of the Republican Party and accused of these kinds of crimes. The other part, it may have been about Mexican immigrants, but the Mexican-American community, as well as all Latinos in the United States felt affronted it. This defamed the entire 54 million Latinos in the United States. That's the cause of the uproar.

It was the boomerang effect of the comments, because we don't live in a very bifurcated world. We are much closer in proximity to the border and our cultural roots. When you attack someone across the border and you are only two and a half hours from the border, you feel that pain.

PEREIRA: Brian, it's interesting, Trump took NBC to task for standing -- we can pull it up -- for quote, "Standing behind lying Brian Williams, but won't stand behind people that tell it like it is, as unpleasant as that may be." He essentially doubled it.

STELTER: He exactly knew where to kick NBC. He's very good at that.

To your point about marketing, his brand is standing up to people, never backing down.

[06:55:00] So, he's trying to make it look it was sort of his decision, trying to make it look like a good thing for him. The bottom line, though, it's actually a loss for his business.

NBC breaking up with him, it's a business calculation. The Hispanic marketplace in this country is growing quickly. Networks like NBC want to appeal to it and need to appeal to it. That's why as we saw the complaints over the weekend. (CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: Do you think he's out, Trump? I mean, obviously, NBC has a contractual matter. What they can keep up, what they can't.

STELTER: Right.

But the election, what do you think it means in terms of how badly Trump is hurt by this?

STELTER: I thought he would go back to "The Apprentice" in the fall. I thought he would be on the campaign trail for a while, at some point he dropped out of the race, and then go back to "The Apprentice" and go back to his reality show. This break up with NBC implies he will never go back to the network, that they'll cast somebody else to start in "The Apprentice" instead.

It also suggests they have to find a new home for Miss USA and Miss Universe, that it won't be on NBC anymore.

It has an effect on the bottom line. "The Apprentice" was an important brand builder for him. But then again, maybe running for president is a more valuable, more important brand builder.

PEREIRA: The question is now, what happens to the pageants? I understand, Miss USA, there's been a tweet?

STELTER: They just weighed in this morning for the first time saying the pageant will go on. They are disheartened by what happened.

You know what's happened here is in two weeks, the pageants supposed to happen in Louisiana. The contestants are already there.

PEREIRA: They checked in the hotel.

STELTER: Yes, the stages are being built.

Right now, they don't have television network that is are going to air it. I have a feeling, we will hear of a solution for that. NBC knows, that's the ugly part. They don't want to be associated with Trump or these women appear to be the casualties of the situation.

PEREIRA: Felix Sanchez, Brian Stelter, we appreciate it, obviously. There's a lot to discuss in this. We appreciate you joining us on NEW DAY. You can get in on the conversation. Tweet us. You can go to CNN Instagram or go to our Facebook page as well, Facebook.com/NewDay, if you want to add your commentary there.

CUOMO: What happened to the Donald, by news, but there are a lot of things going on this morning. Let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Spilling details from his hospital bed about his dead partner, Richard Matt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Their plan was indeed to go to Mexico.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The FBI has launched an investigation looking into drug trafficking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every prison has their own culture going on and there's a lot of corruption.

PEREIRA: President Obama working to make millions of Americans eligible for overtime pay.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president's approval numbers are on the rise, his highest number in two years.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Yet, another American arrest, allegedly supporting ISIS.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is part of we can how safely call a cell.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fear of such attacks on the July 4th weekend prompting the FBI to issue a bulletin.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA: Beautiful skin line over New York. Welcome back to your NEW DAY. Alisyn is off for the day today.

Captured prisoner David Sweat is talking and revealing to police details about prison break and his three weeks on the run. Sweat says he and Richard Matt planned to head to Mexico, but were forced to improvise when the plan took a turn.

CUOMO: And there is new insight into why they were able to escape in the first place. A federal investigation reveals corruption, including an employee run heroin trade that may be going on inside that prison.

So, our coverage begins on the inside and the house. We have CNN Sara Ganim at a hospital in Albany. That's where Sweat is and they say his condition is improving, Sara. And certainly, if he's talking, that's a clear indication.

SARA GANIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He certainly is talking.

You know, authorities, for three weeks, while they were on the run, they wondered, was Joyce Mitchell, that prison seamstress really their plan to get away? Did they plan to run off with her? Well, now that David Sweat has been captured, he's alive and he's

talking, authorities say they are learning that, yes, she was plan "A." And when she got cold feet and decided not to pick them up that night, they had to improvise.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GANIM (voice-over): Investigators hoping convicted killer, David Sweat, continues to talk this morning. The former fugitive's condition improving after being shot twice in the torso Sunday.

ANDREW WYLIE, CLINTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: He's going to be brought back to the Department of Corrections when he's cleared medically.

GANIM: Police wanting answers to exactly how Sweat and matt planned and executed their escape from the maximum security prison. Thirty-five-year-old Sweat confessing that he hand Matt planned on running away to Mexico with former prison worker, Joyce Mitchell.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK: The would kill Mitchell's husband and get in the car and drive to Mexico.

GANIM: When Mitchell didn't show up, the duo headed toward Canada instead. But 18 days after their escape, the men separated. Sweat telling investigators 49-year-old Matt was slowing him down. A source telling CNN there's evidence Matt was sick, possibly from contaminated food or water. An examination of his body found blisters on his feet and minor cuts.

SHERIFF KEVIN MULVERHELL, FRANKLIN COUNTY, NEW YORK: For as intelligent as these guys are, breaking out of a maximum security prison, evading police for three weeks, Joyce Mitchell was plan A.

GANIM: Both men were found dressed for the woods. Inside Sweat's bag, there were tools, bug spray, maps and pop tarts.