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Rick's List
Toyota's Growing Problems; Motivational Speaker Arrested
Aired February 04, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go to the live video, there is Scott Brown right now, he is just now getting out of the car. As you know, he's about to get sworn in. I think I can hear Dana Bash in the background.
Dana, take it away.
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Mr. Brown -- Mr. Brown, what is this? Are these your certification papers?
SCOTT BROWN (R), MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR-ELECT: I will answer all your questions.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Let's just step over a little bit. We will get everyone settled and we will just do it the right way.
(CROSSTALK)
BASH: Sounds good.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: I don't want anybody to get hurt. So...
BASH: Just so you know, we are live here.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Oh.
(LAUGHTER)
BROWN: I still want anyone to get hurt.
All right. Thank you.
Happy to be here. I appreciate all your interest, and I will take your questions.
BASH: Senator, why come a week earlier -- senator-elect, I should say -- why come a week earlier than you had originally planned? What is the rush now? BROWN: Well, there was no rush. We always were looking at the 11th as a date, based on what the secretary of state was indicating. But he finished his certification earlier than expected. And, as a result, you know, it is time to get to work.
QUESTION: And some Republicans are worried about the nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. Is that why you are here?
BROWN: No. I have not spoken to the leadership since the last time I was here. I am here because I am the duly elected senator. The certification process was done. And I don't care if it is a procedural vote or voting on the budget or terror issues or nominations. I was elected. It is time to do my job.
QUESTION: So, the Republicans did not ask you to come down early?
BROWN: No. No.
QUESTION: Senator, now that you've had a chance to talk to people around Massachusetts, do you have a top priority for your agenda?
BROWN: Well, obviously, it's jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, trying to figure out how we can get the economy moving. We have a budget where we have to rely on 40 percent. We have to borrow 40 percent to even make it work.
And that is troubling. So, we need to look at the budget, try to figure out how to, you know, get the economy moving again.
BASH: But, Mr. Brown, we were told by some Republicans who were talking to your folks that they made it pretty clear that they wanted you to come down because some of the president's nominees who they were opposed to were coming up pretty fast, and they wanted your 60th vote -- or 40th against it.
BROWN: All I can tell us is that I have had no contact with the leader's office or anyone else. I have spoken to Senator McCain a few times, only because he is somewhere of a mentor and been helpful getting the office set up.
I am an independent voter and thinker. I always have been. I'm going to spend some time this weekend looking at everybody's qualifications. And I will make my decision known when I vote.
QUESTION: Senator Graham, how do you feel...
BROWN: Hi (INAUDIBLE).
QUESTION: How are you?
QUESTION: How do you feel with those papers in your hand?
BROWN: Well, it's exciting. I am humbled and honored to represent the people of Massachusetts.
It is a new era and it's really time to get to work. The only reason I wasn't here earlier -- we asked to be seated right away, but the secretary of state made it very clear that he needed that time. So, we gave him that time. And now that the time is over, he has certified. He wanted the governor to act. So, I would rather be here than home.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: Senator, that secretary said today that -- he said you should -- quote -- "respect the rights of the majority."
BROWN: Yes, I am not quite sure what he meant by that. So...
BASH: Senator-elect, one more question. You are going to be in the office of Senator Kennedy. Those are pretty plush digs that you are going to have there.
BROWN: OK.
BASH: Can you describe just how you feel about being somebody who is going to be the most junior senator having, A, a pretty nice office suite and, B, the symbolism of being in Senator Kennedy's office?
BROWN: Well, I had great respect for Senator Kennedy. Everybody in Massachusetts did. Whether you agreed with him on his politics or not, he was somebody we all had great respect for.
He was -- had a super sense of humor, always laughed, whether I had a better singing voice than my daughter. And we worked on many things together. Obviously, it is temporary housing. I understand that, being the junior senator. I'm just talking forward to, when the cameras go away, I will be able to settle down and get to work.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Wow. Wow. Dana Bash, unbelievable, getting us -- talk about great reportorial timing.
BASH: And, Rick, I'm here with you, if you can hear me.
SANCHEZ: Yes. I was telling our audience, talk about great reportorial timing, the fact that you were not only able to get the interview, but get the interview just as he was getting out of his car and turning it around so we could have it live.
Hey, this guy is bound to disappoint people on both sides of the aisle, isn't he?
BASH: Sure.
Look, the fact of the matter is, he is a Republican that the Republican leadership is thrilled to have, because he does provide... SANCHEZ: Obviously, that picture is starting to break up there as we were following that arrival of Scott Brown. Mr. Brown goes to Washington.
And you saw it just as it happened. Obviously, the story of Scott Brown is a big one around the country after getting the seat as you heard once held by Senator Kennedy. His swearing-in has been pushed up a week. And we are going to cover every bit of that story for you live here, not because particularly there is a new senator in Washington.
That is not news. It is the fact that he is in fact number 41 when it comes to what he can do to legislation that President Obama has been trying to pass. So, we are going to be all over that, obviously.
This is what else we're going to be following for you also on THE LIST during your national conversation.
I want to show you something now. This is a perp walk. It is James Arthur Ray, superstar in the motivational speaker business, millionaire, snappy dresser. He was the complete package. Today, he is in court. This is the self-help guru, is now looking at manslaughter charges for the deaths of three in that sweat lodge incident. We are going to have more on that in just a little bit.
First, though, there's a developing story that we have got to tell you about. There's more unwelcome news for Toyota having to do with this brake pedal you are looking at there and the stoppers and the shims that they're trying to come up. Here is the new information, folks.
The Prius emerged today as the latest vehicle with potential safety problems for Toyota. This time, it is the brakes which may be slow to respond when you step on the brake pedal. So, now we are talking about a completely different vehicle. It's the Prius.
And here is Brooke Baldwin to fill us in on what is going on.
What is it this time?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I want to be clear because we are talking about the 2010 Prius hybrid. And there have been these unsubstantiated reports that there's been this recall.
And, if I may, I just got this e-mail on my BlackBerry. This is actually to CNN from Toyota. They're saying, no, there is no recall -- quote -- "We have no information that such a decision has been made. We are working with NHTSA -- "that's the National Transportation Safety Administration here -- "on a preliminary evaluation of the issues raised in owner complaints."
What are we talking about? Well, Toyota is saying, yes, it is a glitch. It's a software glitch in their braking system. So, it's a time lag of about a second, which, to some, not a big deal. But if you are going 60 miles an hour, that's 88 feet you are not stopping. Just keep that in mind.
Now, they say they have already fixed in vehicles that were made after January, but before January, we still don't know. Here in the U.S., they are investigating more than 100 complaints, in Japan, more than several dozen. And this is just the latest blow. We have been talking about Toyota for what, a week, two weeks now, the last two recalls.
Now the latest number, 8.1 million vehicles involved. We talked to that dealer yesterday out of Atlanta. And we have video. Finally now you can see they are fixing it.
Now, another part of this story, there's a woman I want to introduce you to. It is Lilia Alberto. Her mother was driving a Toyota in Michigan. This car, this Camry is not on the recall list. But still her accident fits the pattern in the sticky gas pedal problem. Listen to what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LILIA ALBERTO, DAUGHTER OF CRASH VICTIM: She missed that tree and the car went airborne. And it was going 80 miles per hour. And it hit the tree in the top and it just went down. She died instantly.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Based on your evidence, you are suggesting that there are cars on the road that right now should be recalled?
RICHARD MCCUNE, CLASS-ACTION ATTORNEY: I think the recalls cover less than half of the models and model years that need to be part of this recall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So that was CNN's Deb Feyerick digging up that part of the story, just another angle here, that attorney filing this legal injunction that is saying, hey, Toyota, you need to recall all the vehicles that are allegedly affected by this thing and install this brake override system with this accelerating thing.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Let's get back to the Prius, because here's the newest information. Look, this is one the pride and joy of this company, the Prius.
BALDWIN: Absolutely. And we're talking 2010 model.
SANCHEZ: And there's a lot of folks watching us right now, oh, my God, now it's my car, too. What do we exactly know that they need to know about the safety of their Prius?
BALDWIN: You need to know that Toyota has not officially issued a recall. Perhaps that will make you feel a little bit better. But at the same time, NHTSA is -- they launched this formal investigation this morning into these 100-plus complaints. (CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Right, saying that the cars fails to brake at certain speeds appropriately.
BALDWIN: There's a lag time of one second where it fails to brake.
SANCHEZ: A lag time, right.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: And that's -- I imagine, if you are going fast enough, again, and I think you spoke about this, that is serious.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Sixty miles an hour, you are not stopping for 88 feet. Do the math.
SANCHEZ: That is very serious if there is a car between you and 88 feet.
BALDWIN: Right. So, that -- possibly a third recall.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: And Toyota's official position on this once again, just to be clear, or to give them the benefit of the doubt as well?
BALDWIN: They are recognizing that NHTSA is investigating and they are working with them in that investigation.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: We expect to hear more, obviously.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Likely, yes.
SANCHEZ: Good job as usual, Brooke, being all over that story. And you and I are going to be talking about the Haiti situation.
BALDWIN: We will, in about 30 minutes.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: That is a strange story when you consider...
BALDWIN: Still happening.
SANCHEZ: ... it looks from every way you look at the story -- and I am just talking from my heart here -- that these people had their hearts in the right place. The idea that they are possibly now being charged with child trafficking is certainly something... BALDWIN: Possibly charged, and that is what the judge -- they were in front of a judge again today to find their intention.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, I'm now hearing "New York Times" is reporting this. AP is reporting this. We are being very judicious here at CNN about reporting this. So, we will hopefully be able to have more information on this in just a little bit. And when we do, you are going to have it, right?
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Yes. You got it.
SANCHEZ: Let us know.
Here is what else we got.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am the first to confess I am not always right. But, surely, you can question my policies without questioning my faith or, for that matter, my citizenship.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: The president is asking elected officials to put their faith before their partisanship. Too strong? Too weak? Just right? You will see it in our Yellin segment. That one is coming up.
And I would encourage you to watch what the president says or listen to what the president says on this speech. It is interesting, unique, shall we say.
Also, this just happened moments ago. You saw it here live on CNN. Senator-elect Scott Brown arrived in Washington for his swearing-in ceremony and was welcomed by a whole bunch of people. Who knew? Here is what one of his Republican colleagues from the House just tweeted moments ago, news as it happens on social media we are promising to deliver and here it is.
"Senator Brown's seating today confirms even the bluest states, Americans are tired of the Democrats' job-killing agenda." Again, that is from a Republican, of course. We thought we would share. We will do it with both sides. That is John Boehner. That is John Boehner, right? Yes. That is John Boehner who tweeted that just a little while ago.
We are going to be back with THE LIST. Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here is what is making THE LIST.
The president pulls out the velvet glove.
OBAMA: Surely, you can question my policies without questioning my faith or, for that matter, my citizenship.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: National Prayer Breakfast. Who is the power behind the prayer? We lift the veil.
Women setting themselves on fire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The police came to the hospital in the morning and asked me why I did this.
SANCHEZ: Abused so much, they would rather disfigure themselves than face their husbands -- an exclusive RICK'S LIST's report.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bodies everywhere, passed out.
SANCHEZ: What really happened at this self-made program that killed three people and made plenty seriously ill?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This guy said to James from his sitting down position, he goes, I died, I literally died and I came back to life. And James is like, hey, all right, man.
SANCHEZ: Motivational speaker James Ray is arrested.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks a lot for doing this, Mel. Take care.
SANCHEZ: Mad Max just seems plain mad these days. What gives?
The lists you need to know about. Who is "Today's Most Intriguing Person"? Who is on the "List You Don't Want To Be On"? You will find out as our national conversation on Twitter, on the air starts right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back to THE LIST, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez.
We have got a lot of stuff going on. But let me tell you about this. It's not every day the president of the United States uses a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast to scold politicians. This is very nuanced, mind you. Nonetheless, that is exactly what this president was doing in so many words. The message when it comes to faith, if you are going to talk the talk, he said to them, you got to walk the walk. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: I am profoundly mindful that a loyal opposition, a vigorous back-and-forth, a skepticism of power, all of that is what makes our democracy work. And we've seen actually some improvement in some circumstances. We haven't seen any canings on the floor of the Senate anytime recently.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: So we shouldn't over-romanticize the past, but there is a sense that something is different now, that something's broken, that those of us in Washington are not serving the people as well as we should. At times it seems like we're unable to listen to one another.
Now, I am the first to confess I'm not always right -- and Michelle will testify to that...
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: But surely you can question my policies without questioning my faith or, for that matter, my citizenship.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Or, for that matter, my citizenship.
The president's message, that if we as a nation, we as a government are to accomplish anything, we need to put aside all the bickering. That was his general theme.
Program note, more on the president's speech is coming up at the top of the next hour. We are going to show you a big -- and I mean a big chunk of what he said, so you can analyze it, enjoy it or not enjoy it for yourself.
But Jessica Yellin is going to join me with the impact of this speech.
Also, the latest on Jenny Sanford writing a tell-all book about her cheating husband, the South Carolina governor. Jessica is going to join me in just a little bit on that.
Also, this is a story that seems just very perplexing and it is a trend now. Why does Mel Gibson treat the people who interview him as if they have no right to ask him questions? Then why is he even showing up for the interviews, most are asking?
We are going to be right back. THE LIST scrolls on.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And I welcome you back. I'm Rick Sanchez in the world headquarters of CNN. Time for some Yellin. Here's Jessica.
The president said today, Jessica, let's have our differences, but let's also remember that we are supposed to do the work of the people and not spend our time trying to settle political scores.
How do you think that went over, given what you know about the makeup of this audience, especially since he put it almost in a scriptural sense?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he was speaking to an organization of religious Christians and a lot of very powerful politicians in the room.
And, Rick, this is exactly the kind of message that he is strongest at delivering and what he promised to do when he was campaigning in Washington, that he would bring a message of sort of commonsense civility to Washington, and try to break the logjam here by appealing to people's higher nature.
SANCHEZ: But he was wagging the finger at them without actually wagging the finger.
YELLIN: Right, which is his gift. He is very good at being able to appeal to your sort of -- your sense of what is right and wrong, and then trying to find common ground on that basis.
The problem is putting it into action. It is one thing to say it to a -- at a prayer breakfast, and then there's another thing to execute it on a daily basis when you are on opposite sides of the table...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, and let me jump in for just a moment, because I am thinking, look, is the president really one to talk, given that his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel's -- let's just say he has a penchant for playing hardball politics, right?
YELLIN: Right, right, colorful language, et cetera.
The problem is, politics, you have to be a pragmatist to some extent. And so I think that is what we have seen this year is the challenge that Barack Obama has faced as president, putting into action these theories about how politics can work.
And, you know, you have to get the fighters in the room. And a lot of his staff has angered Democrats and has angered Republicans and they haven't found the right balance yet.
SANCHEZ: Speaking of fighters, I want you and the viewers to listen to this clip of what the president said today.
YELLIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Some will look at it and say, well, that was kind of a cute way of making a point. I'm going to argue that it was not a cute way of making a point, that this guy knew exactly what he was saying, that he knew when to say it, and that he chose the word citizenship very judiciously, and that he had a purpose, that it was in many ways a punch in the mouth, as I like to say.
I would like to see what -- I would like to get your take on this.
But, before we do anything else, let's let the viewers listen to it as well as yourself and myself. Let's do it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Surely, you can question my policies without questioning my faith or, for that matter, my citizenship.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: It is almost like he is saying, I'm wise to you guys.
And let me tell you, I -- my take and just as an American, that was no accident. Yours?
YELLIN: Yes, no accident at all.
And I think, Rick, this is him finding his voice again in the presidency. Do you remember on the campaign he would constantly criticize the way Washington works and then align himself with the people who are out there, who are also confused by Washington, saying, people said I could never make it. Look at me. I have a funny last name. I have a funny first name. I'm African-American. I'm mixed race. I could not make it. Look at what I have done.
He is personalizing the war as a war against himself and he is doing it again here. He is like, just like you Americans who are frustrated with Washington, I'm frustrated, because look at what they are doing to me. I am like you.
SANCHEZ: You know, I have got to tell you -- and I have got to turn the corner and go to another subject, but this guy has had a hell of a week.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Jenny Sanford, I want to ask you about her, a tell-all book of -- well, let's call this what it is. It is a book written by a jilted wife, comes out tomorrow. You contrast her to this, though. Stay with me here. Contrast her comportment in all of this to Larry Craig's wife, to Eliot Spitzer's wife, to David Vitter's wife. And, by the way, the list can go on and on.
YELLIN: Yes. SANCHEZ: Jenny Sanford does not want to be seen in public with him, as opposed to those other women, who were very much in the traditional mold, I am standing by my man while he is embarrassing the hell out of me.
Is that what makes this woman so fascinating?
YELLIN: Yes, it's that she's -- finally, a woman in public life is doing what most normal women would do in private, which is calling out bad behavior.
Why are these male politicians allowed to be not only cheaters and be forgiven, but be so narcissistic? When Mark Sanford comes out and tells us he is in love and there was all this sparking, do we need to know that? Who cares? Keep it to yourself.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: I finally found someone that makes me feel whole and true.
YELLIN: Oh, it is just so cringe-worthy. And she calls it for what it is. Ick.
SANCHEZ: You have a tendency to want to read that book, don't you?
YELLIN: Oh, yes. There are some zingers in there.
SANCHEZ: I think there's a bunch of people probably thinking that same thing, including my wife.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Jessica, I appreciate it.
YELLIN: Good to see you.
SANCHEZ: All right.
Hey, Dana Bash just sent us this tweet, which is interesting, because did you hear her conversation moments ago that she was having with Scott Brown? Well, she is following it up with new information. It's just interesting new stuff to add on.
You heard her say that he's going to be moving into Ted Kennedy's office, which is the biggest, plushest office, because he's been there the longest time. Well, before he goes into that office, listen to this. Brown's temporary digs are actually in trailers. He moves into Kennedy's office soon, though. Thanks, Dana. And thanks for the hustle at the top of the show, as usual.
Also, this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're on camera now. What is the situation?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: This is incredible. They are in jail, in a prison, big news out of Haiti right now, though -- 10 Americans are learning their fate. This is one of the stories that is moving as with speak. They're accused of illegally trying to their children out of the country, which seems to suggest that they are being charged with trafficking, child trafficking.
That is what the Associated Press is reporting, apparently what "The New York Times" is reporting. We are trying to nail this down before we go with it. And we also have somebody there following the family as we speak. That is Karl Penhaul. So stay tuned, because you probably are going to be hearing from him on the phone talking to us any moment now.
Also, this. This man, just a regular Joe, wants to be his state's first tea party candidate. He does not want to be a Republican with support of the tea party. No, he wants to be a tea party candidate. That is different. Who is he? Well, we are going to tell you who he is next.
And, by the way, if you didn't hear the president's speech today about faith and politics, you should. We are going to give you a chance to hear a big part of the president's speech, almost all of it, in our next half-hour.
Stay right there. I'm Rick Sanchez. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: OK. Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
I want to bring Brooke into the shot, if we possibly could, Robert. We are just trying to nail down -- look, folks, this story in Haiti is moving as we speak. And we think that there is going to be brand-new information very soon. Rather than just go to Karl now, Karl Penhaul, who is in Haiti, you know, some people may not understand this, but to deliver news, first, you have to gather news.
And Karl Penhaul is in the process right now of gathering information, talking to among others the foreign minister there in Haiti. When he is done talking to the officials there, then he will get on the horn with us and tell us what is going on, right?
BALDWIN: So, basically, the situation, as you have these 10 American Baptist missionaries, and they are accused of child trafficking, taking these 33 babies, young children into the Dominican Republic or actually trying to get to the border. They were taken back. They were thrown into jail over the weekend.
Karl Penhaul has been all over this story. He has interviewed some of them over the weekend. In fact, here, we have Karl.
(CROSSTALK) SANCHEZ: Have we got him? Have we got him? Karl Penhaul, you there? Karl, are you there? (SPEAKING SPANISH)
Karl Penhaul in Port-au-Prince -- trying to make contact with Karl Penhaul.
BALDWIN: Look at this.
SANCHEZ: I am just going to keep talking. Hopefully, he will hear the sound of my voice.
These are new pictures. Are these new pictures?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Rick, we are here.
SANCHEZ: Go Karl. You got it, man. Tell us what's going on.
PENHAUL: OK, Rick. We have just got this information for you now. We have gotten the confirmation from Marie Laus Lasege, the information minister of Haiti. She has just confirmed with the attorney general and with the prosecutors that the 10 Americans, and let me just confirm this from one of our CNN team here, that the ten Americans have been formally charged with kidnapping children and with criminal association.
Under Haitian law, there is no specific child trafficking law, but the charge that is the specific charge is kidnapping children and criminal association.
Now, those -- we have sat there outside of the attorney general's office in course of the morning, and the 10 Americans were brought in, and a big media scrum, there is intense interest here. They spent about two hours answering questions to a panel of three prosecutors, and then at the end, were brought out.
We asked them questions -- have you been charged? What is the situation? They declined to answer any questions. They were very solemn-faced, but there were no tears. And then when a group of them got into the first SUV, they silently started to sing hymns.
And then what followed is a spectacular car chase. Obviously the police vehicles were bringing the Americans back to the judicial police headquarters, but a media pack chasing through the streets of Port-au-Prince behind them.
And then when we got here, we saw the ten Americans once again being brought into the jail cells of the judicial police headquarters near Port-au-Prince airport where they have been held since Saturday, since they were brought back from the Haitian-Dominican border.
So as I say, just confirmed from Marie Larange Lasege, the information minister, she has confirmed with government sources that those American, the 10 Americans have been charged with kidnapping minors and kidnapping children and criminal association, Rick. SANCHEZ: Wow, startling information. It seemed earlier in the day, Karl, at points where we thought there might be a resolution to this thing, that they might be able to work something out. And now we are hearing just the opposite from you.
Do you happen to know what the next step is then for this family? Is there any possibility that they could post some kind of bail? Is there any possibility that they can wait for their trial here in the States? Do we know even?
PENHAUL: Those details will have to be worked out. As I say, very early stages, literally 15 or 20 minutes ago they came out of the meeting with the attorney general's office and only just have been put back into their jail cells.
But we did hear from the prime minister two or three days ago, and in fact, when I talked to him, he had opened up the door to some deal whereby the Americans could be sent back to the U.S. and tried in a U.S. court.
But again, then, he made a different statement or a slightly different statement saying that as long as the Haitian justice system is capable of dealing with this investigation and capable of dealing with a trial, then it would go on in Haiti.
So right now, nobody is talking about bail, again, because of the scale of these charges, kidnapping minors and criminal association. I guess it may be difficult for some kind of bail, but certainly American diplomats now and Haitian justice may be trying to work out some deal so that they don't have to spend all of the time in Haiti, but that is not yet confirmed, rick.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you one more question, Karl, because I know there are a lot of folks who want to talk to you, but there is something I think a lot of Americans are probably thinking as they are watching this report come in right now, and that is that the ten Americans are being charged with kidnapping children and criminal association, brand new information that we are reporting to you now.
When most of us look at this case, we see people that may have had their hearts in the right place. They were trying to help children. That almost seems undeniable in this case. Is there something we don't know that these prosecutors know considering intent or something else they did that is causing these charges to be brought against them?
PENHAUL: I think that we should be very clear on this, Rick, and it's even borne out by our own CNN investigations, that, yes, initially when the Americans were arrested they told us in a jailhouse interview that they were on a divine mission, that god had sent them to save the orphans of Haiti. They said that their intention was to save Haitian orphans.
They also told us that they did not have any permission from the Haitian government, but that they did have permission from the Dominican government but that they did have permission from the Dominican government to take the kids into the DR. We now know that not to be true.
Also, the Dominican Republic has told them that he denied the Americans permission to take the kids to the Dominican Republic. He said he even warned them on Friday that if they did go and were caught they would be accused of child trafficking.
Four hours after that meeting, the Americans were arrested. They disregarded his warning. They had had the warning from the Haitian government. The prime minister himself had said no Haitian children can leave Haiti without the proper documentation. The Americans were aware of that, and still they went against that advice.
They said that they came here for orphans, but the three interpreters who I have talked to extensively say that when they were interpreting for the Americans, they were well aware that some parents were handing over their children, that they received children from the arms of the mothers and fathers.
So it shot down their argument on a number of levels, and I guess that is what the prosecutors have weighed today with.
SANCHEZ: Very thorough reporting Karl Penhaul, as usual. We thank you for filing that report to us and bringing us the information just as you were getting and using the technology that we have. Karl Penhaul, again, reporting here that in fact all 10 have been charged with kidnapping children, which is essentially child trafficking, as he explained, and also criminal association in this case.
I guess, Brooke, what you are left with now is that they have made this decision and as Karl just pointed out, and you had talked about this just yesterday, that what the government in Port-au-Prince seems to have a major problem with is that there may have been some serious deception on their part, that they may not have been honest, they didn't come clean.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, you cannot take a child out of Haiti without getting the permission of the Haitian government, and they have acknowledged to Karl that they not only did they not do that, they didn't have the paperwork or the passports.
And Karl mentioning they even talked to the DR consulate and the man at the embassy saying he gave them a stark warning, do not come into my country if you do not have the proper paperwork.
I want to also, if I may, jump in just on the domestic side. This is a crushing blow to friends and family members of some of these missionaries back in Idaho, and in fact right before this show started, we just got a word from one of our correspondent covering that side of the story that this church where many of these missionaries are members shut the doors, locked the doors, put this note on the church door saying thank you for the prayers and your thoughts. This is not a personal issue, this is private.
SANCHEZ: Can you do me a favor. If you get a chance, could you go check, when you get back there, of course, or we could have one of our lawyers check, too, I would like to know what the law is in Haiti when it comes to posting bail?
BALDWIN: Right, like you were asking him. Sure.
SANCHEZ: I am curious, is there a chance that they can be out for while a judge considers the case, and then they can go back or the trial, or are these 10 people stuck in a Haitian jail for the next -- and how soon does -- I don't know much about -- I have covered Haiti and been to Port-au-Prince many times and covered many stories. I don't remember covering stories having to deal with the jail system or the legal system.
BALDWIN: No, me either.
SANCHEZ: I am not expecting you to have the answer to that at the top.
BALDWIN: I will look for that.
SANCHEZ: And I am sure even Jeffrey Toobin would not know what is going on with that.
We're getting more information that there may be another breaking as a matter of fact now, and in face we do have more breaking news. Chad Myers is following, I hate to say this, coming out of this Haiti story, but is it what I think it is?
MYERS: It is. It's a 6.0 just offshore in California. Here is what the heli-quarter looked like.
SANCHEZ: Is that an earthquake?
MYERS: Yes, absolutely an earthquake, 6.0, seven miles deep, very big shaking right here just a few moments ago. This would be the west coast of northern California, so still about 60 miles offshore but let me use Google Earth and Google Maps and show you here.
At the 6.0 magnitude, here is San Francisco right, San Francisco, and so as we move you up here to Fortuna, this would be the area that did see the shaking. You can almost see the ridgeline where the gland literally goes down right into the ocean, a seduction zone on the western side of the U.S.
We expect earthquakes here, 6.0, though, is an awful lot of shaking. It is not near major metropolitan areas, we have no information on any kind of tsunami watch or warnings, anything like that, but it's close enough that I would say you need to be off of the beach for sure.
It literally just happened. And if you have any reports of any shaking, please go to iReport.com and give us anything you can. We would love to see your video and love to see any kind of pictures, but be sure you stay safe.
SANCHEZ: Can you put 6.0 in perspective for us?
MYERS: A 6.0 is 3,200 percent smaller than Haiti. Every team you go a number 6.0, to 5.0, you are 32 times smaller or bigger, depending on which way you're going, from six to seven, compared to seven to eight, and eight to nine. That's the power that this thing would be.
So 32 times less power than Haitian quake and certainly not under a city like Port-au-Prince.
SANCHEZ: Wow, a lot of stuff. Let us know, because I have a feeling that's another story that may have legs, and we will follow developments on it as well. Thank you, Chad, appreciate it. Get back to us if there is any movement on that.
Meanwhile, we also have this is coming your way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The police came to the hospital in the morning and asked me why I did this. After I told them the reason, it was only after that that the police finally arrested him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: We have a Special Report coming up that should be watched -- women willing to disfigure themselves to get somebody, somebody to pay attention to how horribly they are being abused by their husbands. This is crazy. Stay there, and we will be right back.
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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Time to talk about tea parties, time for "Most Intriguing."
He follows politics and economics as a hobby but has no formal political experience. His core belief is that most Americans are hardworking, financially responsible, and generally too busy for political minutia.
He says that both parties need reforming, so he is jumping in with both feet. One of the most intriguing persons of the day is Mike Wilson, the founder of the Cincinnati tea party. He just announced he is running for the state legislature, making him Ohio's first tea party candidate.
Wilson, by the way, is not attending the national tea party convention. He says he is just too busy trying to make changes from the bottom up, encouraging tea partiers to run for local elections. Mike Wilson is one of today's "Most Intriguing."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I am the first to confess I am not always right, but, surely, you can question my policies without questioning my faith, or, for that matter, my citizenship. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: President poking fun at his critics -- maybe not. Maybe he was actually trying to make that point and make it very strongly.
That was the national prayer breakfast. It's a gathering that probably brought out one of the most unique speeches this president has given in a long time. Some of you will like it, some won't, but most will want to see it, and we're going to let you do that.
Also, a big development in the case of the 10 Americans held in Haiti. All ten are charged. We are trying to get the very latest developments on this, and we will do just that for you.
The subject of a lot of speculation -- why did 32-year-old actress Brittany Murphy unexpectedly die? The cause of death has just been confirmed. That story is ahead.
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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Boy, this is one of those stories that's going to have you shaking your head. Stop and really think about this one. How desperate must a 16-year-old girl be to actually set herself on fire?
She was hoping that her life would improve after the United States went into Afghanistan and kicked the Taliban out of power, but it didn't. As the U.S. gets ready to start leaving next year and Afghanistan's president starts to suggest that he might negotiate with the Taliban, consider this.
This is troubling when you consider this. This is Shireen's story, and she one of many women who disfigure themselves, disfigure themselves to make the abuse stop. That doesn't even make sense, does it? It will when you watch this report. It is a RICK'S LIST exclusive, the correspondent is Nima Elbagir.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Weekend shoppers in Kabul city center, in jeans and makeup and unaccompanied by male relatives. In the shop windows, western dress is openly on sale. And female MPs now make up 25 percent of Afghanistan's parliament, one of the highest rates in the world.
Downtown now, and it all looks a lot more familiar. The burqa sellers are still very much in business. More and more women are choosing to return to anonymity.
ELBAGIR (on camera): When President Hamid Karzai first came to power, a new era and ne freedoms were promised to the Afghan women. Eight years on and it seems that very little that was promised has actually materialized. ELBAGIR (voice-over): The western city of Heart is one of the safest and most affluent cities in the country. It boasts one of Afghanistan east best hospitals and it's only burn unit.
For years now, the numbers coming into the women's ward have been rising. But these aren't the victims of accidental fires. Just in the last week five women were brought here with self-inflicted burns.
Sixteen-year-old Shireen set herself on fire to escape her violent husband. She says she was beaten every day of her 12-month marriage, but police did nothing.
SHIREEN, 16-YEARS-OLD (via translator): the police came to the hospital in the morning and asked me why I did this. After I told them the reason it was only after that that the police finally arrested him.
ELBAGIR: With the judiciary and a police force that rarely act against domestic abuse, Afghan women found an extreme way to force the hand of the authorities.
And Dr. Mohammed Jalali, the head of the burn unit, says that they are seeing more and more cases like Shereen's.
DR. MOHAMMED JALALI, HOSPITAL BURN UNIT CHIEF: We have 65 cases. Now we have 77 cases in this time.
ELBAGIR: Shireen's husband is still refusing to divorce her, but she said her injuries have brought her some relief. He can't bear to look at her and so will allow her to return to her parents' home.
Outside the unit, the husbands wait. They all refuse to speak to us on camera, but off camera they told us their wives had been injured in cooking accidents.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: When we come back, you are going see just how difficult it is for an 11-year-old girl, stay with me here, for an 11-year-old girl to have to marry an old man, forced to marry an old man. Part two is coming up right after the break of this story of what's going on in Afghanistan.
And we're going continue to follow the earthquake off the coast of California we learned about it a little while ago. And we are going to bring you the very latest on what's going on in Haiti right now. Those 10 missionaries have just been charged with child kidnapping.
Karl Penhaul is standing by, and we are going to be able to continue to bring you the latest the story. As it moves you will know the latest right here on CNN. This is RICK'S LIST. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
What would you do if you were being forced to marry someone that you not only did not love but you really did not even know? Someone who you see as just some old man? Now, what would you do if you were only 11-years-old? Here's part two of this special report with correspondent Nima Elbagir.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELBAGIR: Basira is 13. She told us she loves going to school and hopes one day to finish her education and help her widowed mother look after the family. But two years ago her life was very different. At the age of 11 she set herself on fire on what would have been her wedding day.
BASIRA, 11-YEARS-OLD (via translator): I did not want to get married because he was very old for me. So that's why I set myself on fire. I was thinking it would be better to burn rather than being forced to marry an old man.
ELBAGIR: Afghan law sets the legal age for marriage at 16, but it is rarely enforced. It was Basira's mother who arranged the marriage for her young daughter. She says she had little choice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (via translator): My husband was killed by the Taliban, and my life became very hard. After a while I found someone who wanted to marry Basira, by she set herself on fire. Now we have to look after Basira. If she was healthy I could marry her to someone else and we could get money to survive.
ELBAGIR: Two years on and Basira still needs more operations to regain full mobility.
ELBAGIR (on camera): Do you think that your life is still better now than if you had been married to the older man?
BASIRA (via translator): I do not regret setting myself on fire because I am happy. Now I have rescued myself from that old man.
ELBAGIR (voice-over): Nangarhar province along the Pakistani board on the opposite side of the country. We came here to speak to people about another phenomena, the bartering of women to settle opium debts.
ELBAGIR (on camera): Five years ago, Nangarhar province was number three in Afghanistan for opium production. If you came here back then all of these fields would have been growing poppies. But since then, an eradication drive has been pushed through and the government has declared Nangarhar officially poppy-free.
ELBAGIR (voice-over): These men are from one of the villages targeted by the drive. One of them used to be an opium farmer. He asked not to be named but agreed to speak on camera.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via translator): When the government stopped cultivating opium, that's when my life was destroyed. I paid my debt to the drug lords by marrying off my five daughters to them. I had no other way to pay the drug lords' debts. Otherwise they threatened to cut my head off.
ELBAGIR: The father tells us he still owes $12,000.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via translator): I can't do anything now. I have run out of daughters and no one will pay for me. I'm just old meat.
ELBAGIR: Stories like this are increasingly common here. The girls bartered for the drug debts are known as opium flowers.
The Afghan government acknowledges that life for women in Afghanistan is still tough, but they say that it is getting better.
WADAN FARAHE, AFGHAN MINISTRY, WOMEN'S AFFAIRS: We can see that there are improvements in the living of Afghan women. Women now can go to school, go to work. They are working in the government offices. We have women in the cabinet and provinces of the governors. So things are getting improved for the Afghan women.
ELBAGIR: Many of the Afghan women we met told us that the promises of greater freedoms and protection have not been kept. They say that the space that opened up for women after of the fall of the Taliban is under attack.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: What a story.
By the way, you want a lot of news? We have a lot of news coming your way.
First, let me clarify something, a little while ago about the U.S. starting to leave Afghanistan next year. The U.S. is going to begin reducing some of the 30,000 troops involved in the temporary surge there, not leaving altogether.
By the way, a lot of information is going on right now. We told you moments ago about what was going on off the coast of California, apparently an earthquake there. There's still information coming in off of what's going on in Haiti. And Ali Velshi is joining me because apparently the DOW is getting close to...
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Close to 10,000 right now. We're nine points above it. We've had a very, very rough day in the DOW. And if you were reading the Internet or things like that, you would have seen something attributed to some weak job numbers that came out today ahead of tomorrow's monthly jobs report.
That's not what it is. This is a worldwide phenomenon. That's why it worries me a little bit. We have seen weak markets all overnight through Asia and into Europe. And it is actually about debt in a lot of countries in southern Europe.
SANCHEZ: Can you stand by? VELSHI: Yes.
SANCHEZ: We will watch this thing and see what happens. We are about a minute away from that. So when it happens we will give you the reaction. Brooke Baldwin will be joining us with the latest on what's going on in Haiti as well, all of this news coming your way. Stay right there.
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