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George Conway is Interviewed about the January 6th Hearings; Queen Won't Attend Celebrations Today; Escaped Killer Dead in Texas; Travelers Return to the Skies; Celtics Win over Warriors. Aired 6:30- 7a ET

Aired June 03, 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]

GEORGE CONWAY, ATTORNEY: A problem.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: So, next week, we have learned, we are going to see the first January 6th committee hearing. And it's going to be at night. So this is going to be a prime time hearing. And it's going to be pretty well produced, right? They've done so many interviews. Nearly 1,000 interviews. There's going to be a lot of material we don't know about that we haven't seen that is going to be a part of this. And I wonder, what is this going to look like in the evening, on American television, this first hearing playing out?

CONWAY: I honestly don't know because I don't -- can't remember ever seeing anything like this. In a sense, if you've been paying attention, people who have been paying attention don't need -- we have seen plenty of evidence of a multifaceted conspiracy to basically overthrow American democracy, if you've been reading the newspapers every day and watching CNN a lot.

But for most people, they don't pay attention to that. They're worried about their gas prices. They're worried about their everyday lives and they don't think abstractly about the things that could really, really affect, you know, the entire future of the country in a way that, you know - I mean we see this in other countries where they have lost their democracies.

So, this is really important, not because it's going -- not because there's going to be new stuff, which there will be, I assume, if they're saying there's going to be new stuff, and it's -- it's to put it all together and to show the American people that this was more than just a random riot where something that got out of hand and -- this was a -- this was a multifaceted effort through creating - from fake electoral certificates and fake electors and potential violence and all sorts of other efforts in the face of the president being told by the attorney general, by the Senate majority leader, by his own aides that he had lost and there wasn't enough evidence of fraud -- there was no evidence of fraud to show that he won.

And, you know, I think when you put it all together in one place at one time, it's going to be very, very dramatic.

KEILAR: George, what's it for? Is it going to change minds or is this just for the history books?

CONWAY: I think both. I think it should change some minds to the extent people are paying attention and watching. I don't think people - I think it happened so quickly and then it was over and then we moved on and then there's a war, there's inflation. People don't focus on how serious this was as a serious moment of history, and how dangerous it was and how the people who have -- you know, he -- Donald Trump has corrupted an entire political party. And if we allow him to be not held accountable, you know, he's going to corrupt the rest of us as well in effect. And that's the danger here. And that's the reason why it's important that the January 6th committee try to get the attention of the American people to think about these broader issues about, you know, are we going to preserve our democracy, are we going to live by the rule of law?

KEILAR: This is the first hearing. There are going to be many others. And the committee has already started to reach out to witnesses for hearings later in the month. This includes those who were tied closely to the former vice president, former Pence Chief Counsel Greg Jacob, former Federal Judge Michael Luttig, Marc Short, the former chief of staff to the former president is expected to be called.

How significant is that and what would you expect to learn?

CONWAY: That's extremely significant. Again, it's a - it's a - it was a multifaceted effort to stop this counting of electoral votes, to end American democracy on January 6th. They knew -- Trump knew, and the people who were engaging in these stop the steal activities, they knew that it was game over on January 6th once the Congress accepted the electoral votes, the vote count, and certified Joe Biden as the victor. They absolutely did everything they could to stop -- stop that, including by fomenting violence, including with these fake electoral, but this -- fake electoral votes and certificates, but this was also important, they wanted to corrupt the vice president. And that's what those -- you know, we're going to hear from loyal Republicans, loyal aides to a loyal vice president who said, no, no, I have to follow the rule of law that day. We're going to hear about the pressure that Donald Trump put on the vice president to basically adjure his role and his constitutional oath and refuse to count the electoral votes as they should have been counted, and were.

KEILAR: These folks I named, they've already talked to the committee, right? So, they've already been interviewed. How do you think about that? Is that like the deposition and this is the day in court?

CONWAY: Yes, that's a good way of looking at it. They know what these people are going to say. They know what their attitudes are like. They know what their demeanor is going to be like. And they're going to put on these witnesses who are obviously reluctant witnesses, obviously reluctant witnesses because they don't - they don't - they don't want to be having to say these things about the potential 2024 Republican nominee on national television.

[06:35:12]

But they -- you know, these - these are the people who I guess the committee believes, after watching them, understands that they're going to tell the truth. These lawyers, you know, Greg Jacob, I mean you can see how passionate he was about - about again - you know, in his emails with John Eastman about the corrupt effort to undermine the vice president, to undermine the election. You know, he -- he's not going to be happy about testifying I'm sure, but he's not - he wasn't happy on January 6th and he's going to raise his right hand and I suppose - I think all these guys are going to tell the truth.

KEILAR: I think we have a sense we know how this is going to go, but I suspect we're also going to learn a lot next week when we watch this, even for us folks who have been watching the drips and drabs come out here over the last ten months that this committee has been working.

CONWAY: Exactly.

KEILAR: George, always great to have you.

CONWAY: Thank you.

KEILAR: Thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate it.

Why is Queen Elizabeth skipping today's event for his platinum jubilee? We will go live to London.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And it is spelled c-h-a-m-p.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ornithorhynchus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: O-r-n-i-t-h-o-r-h-y-n-c-h-u-s.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nanduday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: N-a-n-d-u-d-a-y.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Moorhan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: M-o-o-r-h-a-n.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The incredible spelling bee champion, just won the first ever spell-off. My palms are sweating profusely right now. She will join us to tell us how she did it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:58]

BERMAN: Happening now, one of the major moments of the queen's platinum jubilee celebration, but Queen Elizabeth herself is not there. Buckingham Palace says the 96-year-old monarch experienced some discomfort during yesterday's festivities and will skip today's ceremonies.

I want to bring in CNN's Max Foster. He's live at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where this event is on without the queen, Max.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, she is watching from TV from Windsor Castle -- on TV from Windsor Castle, though, we understand. She reluctantly had to pull out, we're told. I also understand that during the course of yesterday she felt this discomfort. She was standing for a long time. She was clearly having a great time watching the fly pass, for example, up on the balcony. But I think she, frankly, overexerted herself and was suffering in silence to some extent. So they decided that (INAUDIBLE) was too much of a stretch. It's quite a journey here. It's a long service. A big walk down the aisle. So, she's watching on TV. And Prince Charles is representing her, which is what's increasingly happening.

The big part of the buildup to this service was Harry and Meghan arriving. The first time we've seen them in a royal setting like this since they resigned from their royal roles. A sign, I think, of their respect for the queen and her 70 years of service. We'll wait to see whether or not that means the rift has been healed, which is primarily between the Sussexes and Prince Charles and Prince William. We'll wait to see how the visit goes and whether or not they are having discussions behind the scenes.

The other highlight on the way in, I have to say, John, was the prime minister's arrival. Big boos heard outside. Some would say that's inappropriate when this is all about reverence to the queen. But I think that's a connection, frankly, with the latest investigations into the parties that were held at Downing Street, one of which -- a couple of which he attended during lockdown. So he's a pretty unpopular figure right now.

Other prime ministers arriving, previous prime ministers who were cheered. So, a little bit awkward.

BERMAN: Politics, intrigue and royalty all mixed into one, Max. Keep us posted. Thank you very much.

So, huge demand with low staffing. The challenge facing airlines as they scramble to prepare for this busy summer travel season.

KEILAR: And a deadly shootout with police after a fugitive in Texas kills a family of five. How it ended and how he managed to escape in the first place.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:47:36]

KEILAR: In Texas, a dramatic manhunt is over after police shot and killed a convicted murderer who had been on the run for weeks. Authorities say before he was confronted, fugitive Gonzalo Lopez killed a family of five, one adult and four children.

CNN's Ryan Young joins us now with the details on this.

Ryan, what can you tell us? RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, troubling details when you think

about this story and that run that he was on for almost several weeks here. You think about it, Gonzalo Lopez was wanted after he was somehow able to break through his shackles and then he went on the run and, of course, police had that shootout with him last night.

From what we learned, this convicted murderer was pulled over sometime last night, got out of the car and started firing shots towards officers. They ultimately were able to kill this man. But now the story sort of shifts to, what happened to that family and how did the children die? Of course, that's the conversation that police and investigators will hopefully share for us at some time.

But police described this shootout that happened just last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON CLARK, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE: They trailed Gonzalo and then ultimately the tires were spiked on that vehicle. After a shooter chase and a crash, Gonzalo Lopez exited the Chevy Silverado with a firearm and engaged law enforcement officers who engaged back and ultimately killed Lopez.

Again, Gonzalo Lopez has been captured and he is deceased.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Yes, police say they found an AR-15 and a pistol on Gonzalo when he was killed. But, of course, really the main question here, Brianna, is, what happened to that family? How were they killed? He took the car, apparently, from the family, and that's how they were able to track that truck and then were ultimately able to stop him.

But so many questions about this, especially in that initial point where he was able to cut through those shackles and attack that correctional officer to even get on the run.

So, more questions to be answered here, but at the same time, you really feel for that family.

Brianna.

KEILAR: Four kids.

YOUNG: Four kids.

KEILAR: I mean, Ryan Young, thank you for that report.

BERMAN: After thousands of flight cancellations on Memorial Day weekend, airlines are scrambling to fix things as the summer travel season really kicks off.

CNN's Pete Muntean live at Reagan National Airport.

Pete, you went inside one of the major airlines to see how they're trying to cope. PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we got a really interesting look, John.

You know, the TSA says get ready for these huge summer travel numbers. In fact, some days could be even bigger than the same day pre- pandemic.

[06:50:02]

But now the big question is whether or not airlines can handle all of these people. And we got this inside look at how one airline is preparing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN (voice over): With summer travel already heating up across the country, the world's largest airline is vowing it will not melt down.

DAVID SEYMOUR, COO, AMERICAN AIRLINES: We have to be nimble.

MUNTEAN: On an exclusive tour of American Airlines operations center, hundreds work behind the scenes to avoid canceling flights as an unexpected thunderstorm popped up over Dallas.

SEYMOUR: This is the person who's making the calls, OK?

MUNTEAN: Chief Operating Officer David Seymour showed me how dispatchers diverted arriving flights and reshuffled flight crews so departing flights were ready as soon as the weather cleared.

MUNTEAN (on camera): How confident are you that the summer will be a smooth one when it comes to travel?

SEYMOUR: I'm confident. I think that my team is confident. But we're not overconfident.

MUNTEAN (voice over): U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,700 flights over Memorial Day weekend and delayed another 21,000 nationwide. Delta Airlines led cancellations after saying it will scale back its summer schedule with coronavirus causing higher than planned worker absences.

ED BASTIAN, CEO, DELTA AIR LINES: We added capacity coming into the spring. Memorial Day was the first full test of it. And we did see some challenges.

MUNTEAN: Crew shortages have hobbled the airlines industry. A CNN analysis of the latest federal data shows the largest four airlines with 24,000 fewer workers than before the pandemic.

BRIAN KELLY, THE POINTS GUY: It's a perfect storm. There's staffing shortages and weather issues.

PETE BUTTIGIEG, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: We saw a lot of airlines during the pandemic thinning out their schedules and thinning out their workforce, not knowing when demand was going to return. Now, faster than expected, the demand has some roaring back and they are struggling to keep up.

SEYMOUR: Which for us is big.

MUNTEAN: American Airlines says it has hired 12,000 new workers in the last year. Now the question is whether airlines have prepared enough for passengers packing planes at levels not seen since before the pandemic.

SEYMOUR: You can't let your guard down. We have the resources to run the airline. And that's the key thing for us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN: American Airlines says coronavirus sick calls are also putting a strain on its operation. The tip now from travel experts, book a non-stop flight if you can. That one hour layover just might not cut it these days.

John.

BERMAN: Yes, non-stop, early in the morning, if you can. Everything you can do to give yourself a better chance to get where you're going.

MUNTEAN: Yes, you know it.

BERMAN: Pete Muntean, thanks very much.

President Biden delivers an impassioned plea to Congress to take action against gun violence in the wake of new mass shootings. We have fresh reaction this morning.

KEILAR: Plus, first a king, now a billionaire. How LeBron James did it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:57:03]

BERMAN: In a glorious comeback, the universally beloved Boston Celtics come through with an incredible win in game one of the NBA finals. Andy Scholes was there and has this morning's "Bleacher Report" from San Francisco.

A great morning, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John, I knew you'd have a big smile on your face this morning, as all Boston Celtics fans do. And I tell you what, the Warriors fans leaving here last night from the Chase Center are just in shock at what they witnessed in game one. And the Celtics just proving once again, I mean, they're just one of the grittiest teams we've ever seen in NBA history.

Now, Steph Curry, he had an all-time great first quarter last night in game one. He hit an NBA finals record six threes. He poured in 21 points. It was the most points in a finals quarter since Michael Jordan back in 1993. The Celtics were down 12 entering the fourth quarter, but that's just when they got red hot. Derek White and Al Horford hitting four threes in a row for Boston at one point. The 15- year veteran Horford just incredible in his first finals game, scored 26 points.

The Celtics absolutely dominating that fourth quarter, outscoring the Warriors by 24. They would win the game 120-108. And the Celtics, the first team in NBA history to win a finals game by double digits after trailing by double digits entering the fourth quarter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCUS SMART, SCORED 18 POINTS IN GAME 1 WIN: We've been counted out all year, rightfully so. You know, we've had moments, but we continue to fight, and that's who we are.

JAYLEN BROWN, SCORED 24 POINTS IN GAME 1 WIN: We battle tested. We've been through a lot. We've been through a lot of experience. A lot of -- a lot of losses. So, we know what it takes to win. It's an all- around collective effort every single night and everybody did their job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes. And happy 36th birthday to Al Horford today. He was blowing some kisses to the crowd at the end of the game. This is the first loss for the Warriors at home this post season. And, you know, John, just what a win for Boston. Teams that win game one go on to win the NBA finals 71 percent of the time. Game two is going to be Sunday night right here at the Chase Center once again.

BERMAN: I can't really contain my smile, so I'm not going to try, Andy. I will tell you, if you had told me that Steph Curry would score, you know, 110 points in the first quarter and that Jayson Tatum would miss 65 shots in the game and the Celtics would still win, I would say it's impossible.

SCHOLES: I mean, Tatum did not have a good game shooting by any standards. I think he was 3 for 17. But he did have 13 assists, getting his teammates involved.

But what you just said, John, that's really reason to be really optimistic about this series if you're a Celtics fan. Tatum didn't play great. Curry played out of his mind. And the Celtics just kept grinding away, grinding away, and they went on that big run in the fourth quarter and won the game easily. So, you've got to be encouraged if you're a Celtics fan.

You know, the Warriors, in their postgame press conference, didn't sound like they were panicking, but, I don't know, game one was not a good sign.

[07:00:05]

BERMAN: All right, Andy Scholes, so glad you are there. Wish I was, too.