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Republicans Vote Against Easing Formula Shortage; First Funeral for Buffalo Victim; Defense Witnesses in Depp Trial; Woods Huts after First Round at PGA Championship; Fisherman Could Win Prize to Combat Carbon. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired May 20, 2022 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:30:00]
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, the deep -- the first measure, which had broad, bipartisan disagreement, only a dozen Republicans crossed the aisle to join with Democrats on that. They're concern is that simply giving $28 million to the FDA is, quote, throwing money at the problem. That it doesn't actually do anything to increase the flow of baby formula. Instead, it only increases oversight. And the supporters would say, look, you need to help the FDA get up to speed on this because in part the shortages happened because of problems with unsafe baby formula coming out of certain factories.
So, I mean, that's the argument. And that's a philosophically consistent one for many Republicans, don't throw money at a problem.
At the same time, if you're going to make political hay about an issue and say there's a crisis involving many families, which there is, you've got to help find a solution.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, part of that, right, is because that bill, that $28 million, was for staffing, right? It goes to the FDA. It goes through next September.
AVLON: Yes.
HILL: It's about beefing up oversight, right? But it's not actual formula.
When we talk about actual formula, which we're hearing that's some of the pushback, the actual formula, President Biden has secured that first shipment of formula from overseas. This is action that people really want to see across the country. It doesn't matter their political party.
What do we know about the status of that formula, when it will actually be available to families?
AVLON: So, this is the key thing. The administration, invoking the Defense Production Act, usually a wartime measure, to begin bringing in formula from overseas. Currently, the vast majority of formula is produced in the United States. But the administration working with foreign producers, including Nestle, to ship in baby formula, including on commercial vehicles used by the Department of Defense, to help alleviate the immediate crisis. So that's something that could get food -- baby formula on the shelves faster. And the administration is already fast-tracking that, while the Senate has voice votes on passing some of the more supplemental funds and the Congress remains deadlocked on the FDA -- on that FDA funding.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: John Avlon, great to see you. Tanks so much.
AVLON: Thank you, guys.
BERMAN: So, we are learning this morning that 15 people had signed into the Buffalo suspect's chat room to hear his plans apparently for the racist attack that left ten people dead. We are live in Buffalo with these late developments.
HILL: Plus, a Texas border town bracing for a surge of migrants after President Biden's decision to end those Covid era border restrictions.
And, finally home. Jake Tapper talks about his exclusive interview with Trevor Reed. He'll join us ahead on NEW DAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:36:38]
HILL: The first funeral will be held today in Buffalo for one of the ten victims in the racist attack at the Tops supermarket.
We're also learning new details this morning about who the suspect revealed his plans to in advance of that attack. That reveal happening in an online chat room just 30 minutes before the massacre.
CNN's Omar Jimenez is live this morning in Buffalo.
Omar, good morning.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Erica, good morning.
Yes, this was 30 minutes before the attack started. And a small number of people were invited to what was previously a private server. But what we're now hearing from a source at Discord with knowledge of the internal investigation, it was at least 15 people who would have, at minimum, had the opportunity to see a preview of what was about to happen in the next half hour. And that's because this alleged shooter was using Discord essentially as a diary of his plans, including detailing a recon visit essentially that he made to this supermarket back on March 8th. And that's part of why New York Attorney General Letitia James is launching an investigation into Discord, Twitch, which livestreamed -- which is where the shooter live streamed the attack, and other social media platforms.
The shooter -- the alleged shooter was in court yesterday. He's pleaded not guilty to first degree murder and has been indicted.
But outside of those investigations is a community that is still in a lot of pain. Today is -- today begins the funerals for Hayward Patterson. He was 67 years old. He was driving a taxi at the time, waiting for people outside of the supermarket when he was gunned down. He's described, the father of three, as someone who was a protector and who always wore a smile. He, of course, is the first of what will be ten funerals over this next week as this community, again, tries to move forward in what has been a painful healing process, Erica.
HILL: Yes. Omar Jimenez, appreciate it. Thank you.
Actress Ellen Barkin taking the stand in Johnny Depp's defamation case against Amber Heard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN BARKIN, ACTRESS: He's just a jealous man, controlling, where are you going, who are you going with, what did you do last night?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: New testimony from former Depp associates. More on that just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:43:12]
BERMAN: Amber Heard's legal team played testimony from several former associates of Johnny Depp in the defamation trial against her. Jurors heard depositions from Depp's former talent agent, ex-girlfriend and former business manager who discussed the actor's alleged substance abuse and its effects.
CNN's Chloe Melas joins us now live.
Another really jam-packed day in court, Chloe.
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Good morning, John.
It all culminated to Thursday, a week-long of contentious testimonies in court with Amber Heard being cross examined earlier in the week. This time we heard from former associates and people who work in Depp's inner circle to talk about potentially what led up to these issues in his career. And maybe it wasn't the op-ed that Amber Heard wrote for "The Washington Post" after all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELAS (voice over): Fans cheered on Johnny Depp as he arrived to court Thursday, but inside it was silent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
MELAS: Jurors in the actor's defamation trial against his ex-wife saw a series of taped depositions describing Depp as increasingly difficult to work with. JOEL MANDEL, FORMER BUSINESS MANAGER: It became clear over time that
there were issues with alcohol and drugs. And that translated into more erratic behavior.
MELAS: Former friends and associates testified that their relationships with the actor had deteriorated and his career suffered as his substance abuse worsened.
Depp has instead alleged that it was a 2018 opinion piece Amber Heard wrote in "The Washington Post," which did not mention him by name, that falsely painted him as an abuser. He claimed that caused him to lose out on a multimillion-dollar payday for a sixth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film. But a long time Disney executive couldn't recall having seen the article.
[06:45:04]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, AMBER HEARD'S ATTORNEY: Are you aware of any decision-maker within Disney who has ever said they are not casting Johnny Depp in "Pirates 6" or any other role because of Amber Heard's op-ed?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
MELAS: Depp's former agent of 30 years said his alleged substance abuse issues contributed to his unprofessional attitude on set. Including needing to wear an earpiece in order to be fed lines during filming.
TRACEY JACOBS, DEPP'S FORMER AGENT: Because his star had dimmed due to it getting harder to get him jobs given the reputation that he had acquired due to his lateness and other things.
MELAS: Depp's former business manager said he became verbally aggressive when confronted with his dire financial situation.
MANDEL: (INAUDIBLE) strains in his relationship with Amber, the use of alcohol and drugs made my job more challenging.
MELAS: Depp sued Mandel's company in 2017, accusing it of mismanages his finances. It settled in 2018.
MANDEL: The ability to coordinate and find times when he would meet became more difficult.
MELAS: Actress Ellen Barkin testified how Depp has drunk most of the time during their brief sexual relationship in the '90s.
ELLEN BARKIN, ACTRESS: Mr. Depp threw a wine bottle across the room, the hotel room, on one instance in Las Vegas while we were shooting "Fear and Loathing" in Las Vegas.
MELAS: Barkin also said that he was jealous and controlling.
BARKIN: I had a scratch on my back once that got him very, very angry because he insisted it came from me having sex with a person who wasn't him.
MELAS: One of Depp's former friends also expressed concern about his drug and alcohol use and testified that he had seen injuries on both Depp and Amber Heard at one point, including a bruise on Heard's upper arm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, AMBER HEARD'S ATTORNEY: Can you tell me more specifics about that bruise? What did it look like?
BRUCE WITKIN, RECORD PRODUCER AND FORMER FRIEND OF DEPP: Like I said, it just looked like she was grabbed, that's all. That's what it seemed to be, finger -- finger marks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And did you ever talk to Amber about -- about that bruise?
WITKIN: No.
MELAS: Depp has testified he never abused his ex-wife.
WITKIN: I've never seen them physically abuse each other, no.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MELAS: John, court is off today. It will resume Monday in the final week of the trial. And the jury is set to begin deliberating on Friday.
BERMAN: All right. The closing arguments here should be absolutely riveting.
Chloe, thank you so much for that.
MELAS: Thank you.
BERMAN: So, it could be a $100 million idea. Meet the Maine fisherman who is trying to get Elon Musk's attention.
HILL: Well, you had me at Maine and fisherman.
BERMAN: Lobster.
HILL: Plus, CNN is live in Afghanistan. Female broadcasters there say they are now trapped in a psychological prison amid the Taliban's recent orders that they must cover their face on the air.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:52:31]
HILL: Tiger Woods makes his return to the PGA championship, although it didn't go as well as he would have liked though on day one.
Coy Wire has more for us in this morning's "Bleacher Report."
Good morning. COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Erica.
Tiger said he felt that he could definitely win this PGA championship, feeling stronger than six weeks ago at the Masters in his return to golf after nearly losing his leg. And he started off strong, 2 under after the first five holes. But, Erica, you can see as the round went on, he started wincing in pain. He finished 4 over, nine shots off the lead.
Here he was after the round.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIGER WOODS, 4-TIME PGA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER: Yes, my leg is not -- not feeling as good as I would like it to be. I just can't load it. And loading hurts and pressing off it hurts and walking hurts and twisting hurts. So, that's just golf. If I don't play that, I don't do that, then I'm all right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Two-time PGA Championship winner Rory McIlroy is at the top of the leaderboard with a one shot lead. Rory, Tiger and Jordan Spieth teeing off at 2:36 Eastern.
And a war of words in college football. Alabama Coach Nick Saban apologizing for singling out Texas A&M and Jackson State, saying they bought players, and that he meant to say that the name, image and likeness deals now are allowing schools to essentially buy high school players.
Here's what Saban said at an event where some boosters and donors were listening earlier this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK SABAN, ALABAMA HEAD COACH: We were second in recruiting last year. A&M was first. A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness, all right. We didn't buy one player, all right. But I don't know if we're going to be able to sustain that in the future because more and more people are doing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Well, Texas A&M's head coach is Saban's former assistant Jimbo Fisher, and he feels Saban's attacks were personal and says that their relationship is done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMBO FISHER, TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH: It's despicable that a reputable head coach could come out and say this when he doesn't get his way or things don't go his way. Some people think they're God. Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy that -- a lot of things you don't want to know. I don't cheat and I don't lie. Because I learned that when I was a
kid. If you did, the old man slapped you aide the head. Maybe somebody should have slapped him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Don't see this very often in college sports, Erica. Saban and Fisher publicly reprimanded by the SEC for violating its code of conduct. Alabama's hosting A&M on October 8th.
[06:55:00]
College sports went to essentially pro sports with free agency and no salary cap seemingly overnight and people are struggling to figure out how to deal with it.
HILL: Yes, I'm just going to leave it at that.
Coy Wire, good to see you, my friend. Thank you.
WIRE: Yes.
BERMAN: Those were not kind words we heard just there.
So, how do you go about removing carbon emissions from the atmosphere. One answer, believe it or not, is seaweed, and it could net a Maine fisherman, among others, $100 million courtesy of Elon Musk's money.
CNN's Bill Weir has this story.
You had me at seaweed even before $100 million.
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: I had you at seaweed? Really?
BERMAN: You had me at seaweed.
WEIR: I hope so because that is the future. In the movie "The Graduate" was the future is plastics. Now it's seaweed. Trust me. But it's just one idea as people try to figure out how to solve this massive problem that we've been making for over 100 years now. It's the problem that's heating up the atmosphere, causing all of this crazy weather.
Elon Musk thinks it's enough of a problem that he's willing to put $100 million of his own down to find a cure.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WEIR: To avoid cascading disaster, science agrees that it won't be enough just to stop using fossil fuels. Humanity must remove trillions of tons of planet-cooking pollution already in our seas and sky. And whoever figures out how to do that might just get $100 million from Elon Musk.
ELON MUSK, CEO, TESLA: You know, sometimes people say, well, just plant a bunch of trees. I'm like, that's not so easy. You need to get fertilizer. You've got to water them. Where's the water going to come from. What habitat are you potentially destroying where the trees used to be?
WEIR: With his year-old Carbon XPrize. The controversial billionaire says he wants to lure out the geniuses who will figure out how to capture and store carbon dioxide on massive scales.
MARTY ODLIN, CEO, RUNNING TIDE: It's a Godzilla.
WEIR (on camera): Yes.
ODLIN: It's burning forests down. It's stealing our fish.
WEIR (voice over): And among the finalists is a humble fisherman from Maine.
ODLIN: There's this thing out there and it's like ruining everything that we love, right? All the good stuff is getting ruined.
WEIR (on camera): Your dream was to have a boat.
ODLIN: Yes, I just wanted a boat. I really just wanted a boat. There just aren't any mackerel. Like, they're all -- they're all -- they swim north, they swim east and they're now probably up in Iceland.
WIER (voice over): With his beloved Gulf of Maine getting warmer and more acidic by the day, Marty Odlin quit chasing mackerel, built a team of geniuses and went fishing for carbon dioxide with seaweed because kelp grows and gobbles C02 much faster than trees, needs no land or fertilizer, and when it sinks to the deep ocean, the carbon can be locked away for 1,000 years. But kelp needs sunlight and something to hold on to. So Marty, who is also an engineer, went to the drawing board and he settled on floating thousands of high tech buoys in the north Atlantic, each holding a little kelp forest while a ring of limestone serves as the antacid for the ocean. Solar power runs a camera and instruments connected to the cloud. And, when a crop is cut, and falls into the deep, Marty gets a carbon credit from a billion dollar fund set up by Canadian e-commerce giant Shopify.
WEIR (on camera): You have a couple high profile investors behind you.
ODLIN: Uh-huh.
WEIR: Do you think that will be enough if government can't get its act together?
ODLIN: No.
WEIR: This has to be --
ODLIN: No, it's just the math. People spend billions of dollars to see if there's an oil field, right? And what we're trying to do is build the oil industry in reverse.
WEIR (voice over): He images the Portland docks coming back to life to capture carbon the way they once built ships to beat Hitler.
ODLIN: It's a race that no one loses as long as someone wins. Like, I don't care like, you know, like -- as long as somebody wins this race, like, cool, right?
WEIR (on camera): Right. Right.
ODLIN: I don't care who moves the most of it.
WEIR (voice over): So he's thrilled to see competition like Beth Zolar, among the Silicon Valley startups betting on big kelp.
WEIR (on camera): So if you end up being the Henry Ford of carbon to seaweed, this is your Model A, I guess.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly. Yes. This is -- this is Gen 1.
WEIR (voice over): She envisions massive seaweed farms anchored close to the shore. But since rope can tangle sea mammals, her team invited a whale-safe scaffolding, screwed in place by underwater drones, and fed by upwellers that use wave energy to spin up nutrients and cold water from the deep.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Amanda and Beth have two offers on the table for their seaweed based bacon company.
WEIR: And before her crops are hauled and dumped, another one of her companies will extract the plant protein and turn it into meat alternatives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll do that deal.
ODLIN: What are we waiting for? Are we waiting for all the fish to go away? I've seen enough go away. Do I have to wait for -- does the ocean have to be completely dead before we get our act together? And it's -- I -- but you see, I think all this anxiety, all this frustration that people have is just because we haven't been unleashed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[07:00:00]
WEIR: I got so fired up talking to Marty because he's out there doing something. He talks about this problem and needing hard hats and hard -- you know, steel-toed shoes.
