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New Day

Trump to Meet with NRA on Gun Control; Orlando Killer Made Posts, Calls During Attack; President, VP to Visit Orlando Today. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired June 16, 2016 - 07:00   ET

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

CUOMO: ... every day going forward. Every time you look at that picture of that little boy, Lane.

[07:00:07] Jeff, thank you very much for the perspective on this. I wish we had something else to talk about that brought you onto the show, but I'll see you again. Be well.

CORWIN: OK. Thanks, Chris.

CUOMO: So as the story of what happened with little Lane Graves at Disney World comes to an end, we have new developments about a story that is far from over. The investigation and the survival of the people who were involved at the nightclub over our shoulder here in Orlando.

So let's get to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D), NEW JERSEY: Enough, enough.

SEN. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: If you're not allowed to fly, you shouldn't be allowed to buy the gun.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This Congress is asleep at the wheel.

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D), CONNECTICUT: Most of the time around here, I'm a team player, but I've had enough.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Be quiet. Just please be quiet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump ready to turn his back on GOP leaders.

TRUMP: I'm going to be talking to the NRA and starting a real dialog.

We have to have the Republicans either stick together or let me just do it by myself.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think Mr. Trump is smart to see if we can sit down and find a way for it.

MATTHEW GENTILLI, PRODUCER, NEWS 13 ORLANDO: He started saying, "I did it for ISIS. I did it for the Islamic State."

CUOMO: In the midst of the attack, he was posting on Facebook. The big question, of course, swirling around the wife is, will they charge her?

RON HOPPER, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: We will leave no stone unturned.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Good morning and welcome to your NEW DAY. I'm here in Orlando, Florida. Alisyn is back in New York. And we do have breaking news for you.

This marathon filibuster on the Senate floor seems to have come to an end after nearly 15 hours. The question is, what will happen now? The Democratic senator leading it says he's got a deal, that Republicans have agreed to hold votes on two gun control measures, but we don't know how solid this deal is. Of course, it comes just four days after the deadliest terrorist gun attack in American history, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: And of course, Chris, we are learning new details this morning about what the Orlando terrorist did during the attack, as well as the conflicting stories that his wife is telling.

So in just hours, President Obama and Vice President Biden will travel to Orlando to meet with the victims' families, as well as the first responders; and we have all of the angles covered for you.

Let's begin with CNN senior political reporter Manu Raju. He's live in Washington with the breaking news out of Congress. Tell us everything.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn.

Now Chris Murphy's nearly 15-hour filibuster marks the ninth longest in the history of the Senate. It really was a dramatic moment aimed at putting political pressure on the GOP.

At issue is legislation that would deny suspected terrorists the right to obtain firearms. But Republicans and Democrats have actually been squabbling for months over how to structure such a bill. And each party's measures on this very issue have already been defeated this Congress. So whether Murphy's move has changed anything is an open question.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MURPHY: I've had enough.

Tragedies continue to occur, and we just move forward with business as usual.

RAJU (voice-over): Democratic Senator Chris Murphy ending his nearly 15-hour filibuster on the Senate floor early this morning, after saying he has a commitment from Republican leaders to take on two proposed gun control measure.

Quote, "I am proud to announce that after 14 plus hours on the floor, we will have a vote on closing the terror gap and universal background checks."

The dramatic scene comes just four days after the Orlando terrorist attack at a gay nightclub that killed 49 people and injured 53 others, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Dozens of Democrats joining Murphy on the Senate floor.

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Through all of the shouting, we miss what should be obvious. It was a terrorist with a gun that killed all those people.

CORY: Enough. Enough. Enough. What we're seeking is common sense.

RAJU: And even some Republican senators.

SEN. PAT TOOMEY (R), PENNSYLVANIA: There's an obvious opportunity here, guys, to work together and find a solution.

RAJU: Murphy's voice amplified into the night as the hashtag #filibuster was trending on Twitter during his marathon session. The Connecticut senator had just been elected when a gunman shot and killed 20 first graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in his home state, evoking this heartfelt plea.

MURPHY: I can't tell you how hard it is to look into the eyes of the families of those little boys and girls who were killed in Sandy Hook and tell them that, almost four years later, we've done nothing. Nothing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAJU: Now, yesterday there were negotiations happening behind the scenes led by Republican Senator John Cornyn and Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein to find a deal on how to prevent suspected terrorists from buying those firearms, while addressing Republican concerns that Democratic bill was far too broad and would sweep up Americans -- some Americans unfairly.

[07:05:04] But actually, those talks yesterday seem to have stalled and, despite Murphy's comments, the Senate actually has not officially agreed or announced any deal on votes at this point. So even if there are votes, it's very, very unlikely there will be any significant change to gun laws this year, and that's something that we have not seen in nearly a decade -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: All right, Manu. Let's try to get some answers now on all of that. We want to talk about the filibuster, as well as whether anything will change on gun control. So we want to bring in Senator Ben Cardin, the Democrat from Maryland.

Senator, thanks so much for being here.

SEN. BEN CARDIN (D), MARYLAND: Alisyn, it's good to be with you. Thanks.

CAMEROTA: This morning, do you have a deal with Republicans that you will, at least, move forward to a vote on these expanded background checks, as well as keeping guns out of the hands of people on a terror watch list?

CARDIN: Well, we know that Senate Republicans are meeting in caucus this morning, and I guess that's going to be part of what they talk about.

Clearly, as of yesterday, there was no effort being made by the Republican leadership to change their position that we've seen, that they would not even allow a vote on any of the gun safety legislation. And keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists should be a very easy thing for us....

CAMEROTA: yes.

CARDIN: ... to get done. So as I said on the floor yesterday, we've got to take action.

CAMEROTA: So Senator, when Senator Murphy tweeted out overnight, "I'm proud to announce that after 14 plus hours on the floor, we will have a vote on closing the terror gap and universal background checks," was he getting ahead of himself?

CARDIN: Well, I think that what has been said is the Republicans are indicating that we're going to have some opportunity. I'm going to wait and see exactly what they'll allow us to vote on. It's got to be meaningful. It's got to make some difference.

So we have not seen any language yet, we know that what Senator Cornyn was suggesting in the past would really be unworkable. So we've got to make sure that, in fact, we have a proposal that can make a difference and really keep guns out of the hands of terrorists.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

CARDIN: Today, that loophole exists.

CAMEROTA: Senator, which of your colleagues do not support keeping guns out of the hands of people on terror watch lists?

CARDIN: You would think that every senator would support that. The problem is that, as you start to get into any legislation, there seems to be this pandering to the NRA and other groups that have said, "Look, we don't want to open up this door."

And quite frankly, yes, we need to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists. The problem is we have a watch list. And are we prepared to say that, if a person's on this watch list, that there will at least be a pause before that person can buy a handgun? And that has been a problem.

CAMEROTA: And who is it -- why is that a problem? Why is that such a big battle? CARDIN: It's not a problem for me. It's not a problem for the

overwhelming number of people I represent in Maryland. To me, this is common sense.

But we've tried to do this in the past, and it's been rejected. Instead, what the Republicans put up is an unworkable proposal that would require a burden of proof that you'd literally have to go to court and prove the person has committed a terrorist act. That obviously is a burden that's beyond our ability to be able to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists.

CAMEROTA: Senator, here's another head scratcher.

CARDIN: So it's a matter -- it's a matter of details, but the problem is, they're using the weeds to prevent any action from taking place.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

CARDIN: And frankly, it's not just the terrorist watch list. It's the assault weapons. It's the background checks.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

CARDIN: It's these magazine high-velocity clips. All these issues we should be dealing with. The American people have had enough on this.

CAMEROTA: Yes. And Senator, here's the maddening thing. In every recent poll, Americans say that they want the expanded background checks. They want background checks for people at gun shows, as well as online. Ninety-two percent in this CBS poll taken in October favor the expanded background checks on all potential gun buyers.

So I know that you just said that the NRA is a powerful lobby. Aren't America voters more powerful than that?

CARDIN: They absolutely are, and that's why what Chris Murphy did yesterday, I think, was -- could very well be a game changer on this. We've gone through this before. We've spoken out. We've used every method we can, but quite frankly, the Republican leadership has denied even votes on this.

I think if we get a vote, we can win these issues. Because the American people are with us, and they're common sense. They can at least help deal with this issue.

CAMEROTA: I just want to show you "The Boston Globe" cover today. They're taking a real stance on advocacy, saying, "Make it Stop." They have been tweeting out the names individually of every victim of mass shootings and gun violence out this morning.

Senator, what do you think about Donald Trump's stance? I mean, Donald Trump has said something that most Republicans are not willing to say. And he has said, "Yes, I don't think that people on terror watch lists should be able to buy guns, and I'm going to sit down and meet with the NRA about this." CARDIN: Well, look, Donald Trump says one thing one day and something

else the next day. I have a hard time fully understanding his positions. I do know that we -- we need a leader that will stand up and -- and help us deal with passing legislation that can provide some sense to the -- the -- to the ability of people who shouldn't have guns getting guns.

CAMEROTA: Yes, but I mean, aren't you heartened that it sounds like he might be that leader? He's not just parroting the regular old line of, you now, "Hey, the Second Amendment needs to be protected at all costs"?

I mean, he's saying something different than we've heard from some Republican leaders.

CARDIN: Donald Trump surprises me every day by some of the things he says, and it doesn't give me a great deal of comfort the way that he handles issues, generally. So I'm going to have a hard time warming up to him.

CAMEROTA: Senator Ben Cardin, please keep us posted on whether or not there is any progress in Congress today on all of this.

CARDIN: Absolutely. We'll be working on it. I can assure you of that.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

Coming up in our next hour, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, the one who did the filibuster is going to join us live about that marathon session and what he believes will come in this congressional fight.

Well, Donald Trump, as we've been mentioning is front and center in the gun control fight now. He does say that he will meet with the NRA to discuss banning people on those terror watch lists from buying firearms.

CNN's Phil Mattingly has been following all of these developments. He join us live from the CNN Center in Atlanta. What is the latest, Phil?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest, Alisyn, is with one tweet yesterday, Donald Trump rattled Republicans, talking about that desire to meet with the NRA. And now Republicans are just not sure where to go from here.

And the question becomes what did Donald Trump mean? What will the meeting with the NRA actually turn into?

But there's a bigger issue here, Alisyn. And I think this is one when you talk to Republican officials, Republican leaders, both privately and publicly, that continues to come up. Now is the moment where the Republican Party should be coalescing behind their presumptive nominee. And yet they seem further apart than they ever have been, and Donald Trump, he seems OK with that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: Our leaders have to get tougher. This is too tough to do it alone, but you know what? I think I'm going to be forced to.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Donald Trump ready to turn his back on GOP leaders, threatening to go it alone if they fail to fall in line.

TRUMP: We have to have our Republicans either stick together or let me just do it by myself. I'll do very well.

MATTINGLY: The biting response coming after days of backlash from Republicans, refusing to back Trump's proposed Muslim ban in the wake of the terror attack.

TRUMP: Don't talk. Please, be quiet. Just be quiet to the leaders, because they have to be tougher. They have to get sharper; they have to get smarter.

MATTINGLY: House Speaker Paul Ryan continuing to rebuke Trump's views.

REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I actually think a Muslim ban based on religion is counterproductive to our efforts to fight terrorism. We believe in the First Amendment, which is freedom of religion.

MATTINGLY: Trump touting that he can move the NRA on restricting terror suspects from buying guns after this week's terror attack.

TRUMP: I'm going to be talking to the NRA about that and starting a real dialogue. I want to really hear what they have to say. They've endorsed me. They're terrific people.

MATTINGLY: The NRA says it welcomes the meeting but maintains its opposition to an outright ban.

Trump going as far to say that, if more people were armed inside the Orlando nightclub, fewer would have died.

TRUMP: You would have had a situation, folks, which would have been always horrible but nothing like the carnage that we all, as a people, suffered.

MATTINGLY: Hillary Clinton firing back, questioning Trump's legitimacy as a candidate.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Not one of Donald Trump's reckless ideas would have saved a single life in Orlando. It's just more evidence that he is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be commander in chief.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: And Chris, Donald Trump's escalating rhetoric just here in Atlanta yesterday really underscoring one key point. He and his team believe they got to this point as the presumptive Republican nominee doing their own thing, not relying on the GOP establishment, not relying on GOP leaders. Therefore, why should they change and start relying on them now?

One key issue to consider, though, as you look forward in the weeks ahead. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party is starting to unify behind her, no question about it. Whether it's on gun laws or national security, it's Hillary Clinton; it's President Obama; it's top surrogates around the country.

Donald Trump right now is alone. He and his team seem to think that they can accomplish something just being like that, but as we head into a general election, as we go forward, that becomes more and more of a difficult proposition -- Chris.

CUOMO: But Phil, as you've been pointing out so well in the last few weeks, what other choice does the GOP leadership have? He's going to be their nominee. Thank you for the reporting.

Back here in Orlando, a really vexing question for investigators is whether or not there was any way to stop this ISIS-inspired murderer before he carried out the deadliest shooting in U.S. history.

[07:15:06] FBI, the investigators are looking at the gunman's widow. They say her stories don't add up. We have the latest for you on whether she could face charges, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: New details emerging about the deranged murderer who carried out this senseless attack behind us here in Orlando. We're also learning more about what he was doing during the attack, the conflicting stories that his wife is giving and this picture of exactly who this murderer was.

CNN's chief national security correspondent, Jim Sciutto, joining us now. The big question is are they going to charge her?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: No question. Today we're learning new information about what she knew. We're also learning new information about what he was doing as the attack was underway and just moments after he killed dozens of people: taking time out, pausing the rampage to make a number of phone calls but also to go on Facebook to search Facebook to see if people were talking and posting about this killing. But also, we're learning, to make new threats.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[07:20:00] SCIUTTO (voice-over): Disturbing new evidence revealing that the killer paused several times during his rampage to make a number of phone calls and post chilling messages on the Internet. Investigators say the killer searched for "Pulse Orlando" and "Shooting" on Facebook, posted before and during the attack, "Now taste the Islamic State vengeance."

In a final post, obtained by the Senate homeland security chairman, the killer threatening, "In the next few days, you will see attacks from the Islamic State in the USA."

The killer also calling a friend to say good-bye.

GENTILLI: He said, "I'm the shooter."

SCIUTTO: And a local news station about 45 minutes into the massacre.

GENTILLI: He started saying, "I did it for ISIS. I did it for the Islamic State" again, and I didn't know what to say to him. I was just blown away.

SCIUTTO: One of the survivors, barricaded in the nightclub bathroom, says he heard some of the gunman's conversations.

ORLANDO TORRES, PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING SURVIVOR: In the beginning he said, "Well, I'm here at the club, and it should be already all over the media, the news media" and also that he was wearing a bomb vest, and also that there was supposedly three snipers out there, ready for the cops if they came.

SCIUTTO: The killer's wife, Noor Salman, remains a focus of the investigation. Two law enforcement sources tell CNN that she has given authorities conflicting authorities about what she knew about her husband's plans to attack. She now says she suspected he was planning an attack and even mentioned the Pulse nightclub as a potential target.

Officials say he was talking about carrying out a jihadist attack for months and, on the day of the massacre, she tried to stop him. She initially had denied knowing he would do something like this.

JEFF ASHTON, ORANGE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY: If there's evidence out there that somebody out there, you know, helped him get this done and knew what was going to happen, that person could be guilty of 49 counts of first-degree murder.

SCIUTTO: This as the first known video of the killer surfaces from a 2012 documentary about the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

OMAR MATEEN, ORLANDO NIGHTCLUB SHOOTER: No one gives a (EXPLETIVE DELETED). No one gives a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) here.

SCIUTTO: The killer, captured on a hidden camera, insulting the people working to clean up the mess.

MATEEN: They want more disaster to happen, because that's where their money making is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: And now even more detail about what the wife knew and did with the killer before the attack at Pulse nightclub.

She went with him to the Pulse nightclub at least once. We also know, Chris, that she went at least once with him to go buy ammunition. You add all that up, in fact, including her saying that, on the very day of the attack, she thought he might be up to something, and you can see why the FBI is interested in possible charges against her.

CUOMO: They've got that grand jury empaneled for a reason. Jim Sciutto, thank you very much.

President Obama and Vice President Biden are coming here to Orlando. They're going to meet with the families and first responders. Joining us now Orlando city commissioner Patty Sheehan. Obviously, Patty, this is part of the healing process.

PATTY SHEEHAN, ORLANDO CITY COMMISSIONER: Absolutely.

CUOMO: I know, from you and your behavior, and who we're meeting and talking to here, you're going through a new phase of the recognition of how terrible this was for the community and for the victims that were in there and the recognition of being targeted for being gay.

What are you hearing from people about what they need, what they want when the president and the vice president come today?

SHEEHAN: Yes, well, you know, I think a big part of this and what I've been part of is just, you know, informing people and giving them a chance to grieve and ask questions and process this, because this is horrible. And I think that the -- we went from crisis in that initial crisis phase of "Oh, my God, what's going on?" To now people are angry, and they want answers.

CUOMO: They ask why.

SHEEHAN: Right.

CUOMO: But that's the investigation.

SHEEHAN: Sure.

CUOMO: And that has a lot of different branches. And then there's the, you know, even harder question, which is what do we do? What do we do? How are you dealing with that?

SHEEHAN: But Chris, I have to tell you, I mean, as an openly gay person for many years, there's people in my community, let's just say, who have been less than supportive of me, you know, religious community and things like that.

Yesterday at Orange County, there was a large group, with the mayor of Orange County, of religious leaders in this community; and it's the first time I've ever heard them all get together and say, "You know, we need to heal, and we need to embrace the gay community." Never heard that before.

CUOMO: So how do you balance progress...

SHEEHAN: Yes.

CUOMO: ... embracing that compassion...

SHEEHAN: Yes. CUOMO: ... but also the resentment that it took this? How do

you balance those feelings?

SHEEHAN: I often say I don't care if someone does the right thing for the wrong reason, as long as they do the right thing.

CUOMO: Does it stick?

SHEEHAN: That's just part of being a gay activist. I mean, I hate to say it.

CUOMO: Sure.

SHEEHAN: Sometimes we take two steps forward, one step back, but I'll take it.

CUOMO: Doesn't stick. You won't know until the next situation. Right?

SHEEHAN: Absolutely.

CUOMO: God forbid, not this. I'm saying the next rights fight, you know, whatever the manifestation.

SHEEHAN: There's still a lot to do here in Florida. I mean, we don't have protections -- you know, statewide protections for employment, you know, public accommodation and housing. We don't have those. We don't have hate crimes, you know, enhancements for gay people. So we -- there's a long way to go yet.

CUOMO: I had a gay couple say to me yesterday, "I get, and it is human to lament that gay people were killed for being killed. I'm not as taken with how they feel about our death as they do about how they feel about our lives."

SHEEHAN: Our lives. That's exactly right.

[07:25:11] And that's part of not having these young people having died in vain, because they were the next generation that shouldn't have had to suffer the discrimination that I did. And they didn't even get a chance to live to experience it.

CUOMO: What do you say to the president and the vice president today?

SHEEHAN: Thank you for coming. I think it's very important for him to be here for our nation and for our community.

CUOMO: Does law, legal change matter?

SHEEHAN: Yes. It does.

CUOMO: Why?

SHEEHAN: Because you know, and this is getting into another argument. But I don't think you should be able to buy a weapon that can mow down 100 people in minutes. I just don't. I think we have to change. And I'm delighted to hear that there might be some reconsideration of

these assault rifles. You know, like I say, I have a gun, if somebody had a gun they could kill maybe a half dozen people maybe in that timeframe, but the fact that they were able to kill and harm so many people, he was able to do that so quickly, I mean, I think we need some changes. I really do. Not just in gay rights but also in these weapons. I do.

CUOMO: I've never seen anything like this before. We've never -- we've had gays targeted, and we have open cases...

SHEEHAN: Yes.

CUOMO: ... where large numbers of gay people were killed. It seemed specific and hateful, but not like this. And yet, I've been to over a dozen of these, the same pain, the same lamentation and the same political legality.

SHEEHAN: Right.

CUOMO: Which is you have laws on the books from the Supreme Court. You have a political dynamic where now you have people who are calling for a ban of Muslims, but they're also protecting the legal right of a man like the Orlando murderer to get a weapon.

SHEEHAN: Right.

CUOMO: Not because they're bad people, but because that's a consistency within our politics and law right now. Does that change?

SHEEHAN: Well, you know, I mean, I think there will always be people who have a different mindset than I do. I can't expect everybody to have the same mindset, because they haven't had the same experience that I've had. But I say hatred towards Muslims is the same as hatred towards my community, towards the gay community, so I can't -- I can't embrace that way of thinking.

And I am a gun owner. That's the other thing. A lot of people, "You have a gun?"

"Yes, I do." But I don't have a semiautomatic rifle that can mow down, you know, a dozen people in seconds. No, I don't have that. I don't need that to protect myself. And I think we need to have an honest discussion, because if a deranged person could have a nuclear warhead, OK? If you could buy a nuclear warhead and take out an entire city, should you be able to do that?

CUOMO: Having the right to do it is not the same as it being right to do.

SHEEHAN: Exactly.

CUOMO: That's a tough conversation.

SHEEHAN: Yes.

CUOMO: Even tougher to have in this emotional context.

We're all living the same situation here. It feels so good to see people coming together, but it feels so wrong that it came out of something like this.

Well, Patty, as you know, I appreciate you being here to tell us what's going on. All right.

SHEEHAN: Thank you very much.

CUOMO: Thank you, Patty.

Back to you, Alisyn, in New York.

CAMEROTA: OK, Chris. We'll be back with you shortly.

But first Donald Trump says he's ready to go it alone. He's demanding the Republican Party line up behind him. Next we talk to one of Trump's top advisors about this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)