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Sean Diddy Combs Denied Bail After Not Guilty Plea In Sex Crimes Case; Harris Condemns Trump's Hateful Rhetoric About Ohio Migrants; FBI Searches Hawaii Home Of Suspected Would-Be Trump Assassin; Ohio City Bolsters School Security Amid False Anti-Immigrant Claims; Sources: Israel Behind Pager Attack In Lebanon. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired September 17, 2024 - 18:00   ET

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

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[18:00:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news, music mogul Sean Diddy Combs was just denied bail in order to remain behind bars after pleading not guilty to sex crimes charges. We're breaking down the case and the graphic allegations of sex trafficking, assault, and murder. There's the forced labor and more.

Also tonight, Kamala Harris slams Donald Trump for spreading false claims about migrants in Springfield, Ohio, condemning his, quote, hateful rhetoric. Each camp accusing the other of conducting a very dangerous war of words as the candidates return to the trail after another apparent attempt to assassinate the former president.

Plus, there's breaking news on the suspect accused of lying in wait for hours at Trump's golf course. FBI agents searching his home in Hawaii as the Florida governor is now launching a separate probe and urging charges of attempted murder.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in The Situation Room.

Let's get right to the breaking news, Sean Diddy Combs in federal detention tonight and facing trial for what prosecutors describe as a decades-long criminal enterprise, their words.

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has more on Combs' court appearance and his indictment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Tonight, Sean Diddy Combs, one of music's biggest stars, ordered behind bars after pleading not guilty to a sweeping federal indictment. Charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, the grand jury indictment accuses the music mogul of running a criminal enterprise over decades.

DAMIAN WILLIAMS, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: Between at least 2008 and the present, Sean Combs abused, threatened, and coerced victims to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.

WAGMEISTER: Combs was seen dining out in Manhattan Friday before his arrest on Monday night in New York. According to the U.S. attorney prosecuting the case --

WILLIAMS: Combs allegedly planned and controlled the sex performances, which he called freak offs. And he often electronically recorded them.

WAGMEISTER: Hotel surveillance footage obtained exclusively by CNN back in May appears to corroborate some of the allegations of abuse against the rapper, now cited in the new indictment. The video, captured on multiple cameras, shows Combs wearing only a towel, assaulting his then girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, at a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016.

Combs has repeatedly denied multiple allegations against him, saying that his accusers are looking for money. But he issued an apology for his conduct on the video only after it came to light.

SEAN DIDDY COMBS, MUSIC MOGUL: My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I'm disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now.

WAGMEISTER: His attorney responding today,

MARC AGNIFILO, ATTORNEY FOR SEAN DIDDY COMBS: He's going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might and the full confidence of his lawyers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're appealing the decision to hold him without bail.

WAGMEISTER: Combs faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and could face life in prison if convicted.

WILLIAMS: In addition to the violence, the indictment alleges that Combs threatened and coerced victims to get them to participate in the freak offs. He used the embarrassing and sensitive recordings he made of the freak offs as collateral against the victims,

WAGMEISTER: The criminal charges come as Combs faces ten civil suits all filed over the last year, nine of which accused him of sexual assault. He has previously denied the accusations of abuse, saying, I did not do any of the awful things being alleged.

In March, authorities searched Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a months-long federal investigation by a team that specializes in human trafficking crime that led to today's indictment. Among the items seized, firearms, including three AR-15s, ammunition, more than 1,000 bottles of personal lubricant, such as baby oil, and video evidence of freak offs, according to the indictment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:05:00] WAGMEISTER (on camera): Now, Wolf, I reached out to Cassie's attorney and she declined to comment on the charges against Diddy. But we are hearing from some accusers and their attorneys. Aubrey O'Day, who was a member of the band, Danity Kane, what was formed by Diddy, she tweeted that she feels validated and that this is a great day for women all around the world. And Tyrone Blackburn who is an attorney representing three accusers who have filed civil suits against Diddy, including Lil Rod who you may remember is the male producer who sued him, he tells me this. He says, quote, we knew this was coming. The evidence is very clear and it was only a matter of time. Wolf?

BLITZER: Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you very, very much.

Let's get some more on this with our legal and entertainment experts, and, Joey Jackson, I'll start with you. How much does it speak to the severity of these charges against Combs that the judge denied his bail?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It says everything, Wolf, for a variety of factors. Number one, certainly, generally, you would be given bail if there's any condition or combination of conditions that would ensure, A, you return to court, and, B, there's an issue as to whether you're a danger to the community. Because of the manner in which the indictment was laid out, speaking about over a 16-year period allegations with respect to what he allegedly did, it becomes problematic.

Let me tell you what the concerns are very briefly. Number one, you have very motivated accusers, right, very motivated people. We know that because they laid out the allegations in lawsuits, lawsuits of civil in nature, not criminal. But I think that provided a treasure trove of information for the federal government to do what they did.

Number two, with respect to the seizure of things, right, evidence from his properties in California and Miami, videos, the other things in terms of Elizabeth's excellent piece moving into this, the lubricant, the cocaine, the, you know, other things that were taken, drugs, what have you, it's really concerning.

And so at the end of the day, Wolf, it's going to be established with proof or not proof. But here's the last thing. This is a case of the United States of America versus Sean Combs. Why do I say that? Because a lot of other people who could have been charged in this indictment with him were not. What does that say to me as a defense attorney? That they are cooperating with the government.

So, you have the accusers that are there giving their story, innocent until proven guilty, but you have other people who you could say were his enablers who are not being looked at by the government, who are looking at helping the government prove their case. So, it says an awful lot that he's detained at this point without bail. There'll be an appeal on that issue. We'll see what a court has to say thereafter.

BLITZER: Yes, we'll see what happens.

Lisa Bonner is with us as well. Lisa, to Joey's point, and he made very strong points, the judge said, in her words, and I'm quoting her now, my concern is this is a crime that happens behind closed doors even when pretrial services is monitoring. It's pretty chilling. What do you make of that?

LISA BONNER, ENTERTAINMENT ATTORNEY: Well, I make a bet that they really do believe that Sean Combs is a flight risk and they also really believe that he is a danger to society. As Joey said, no, he did not act alone. So, there were enablers from his employees, his co- workers, his assistants to other people than law enforcement that have aided and abetted him in carrying out these crimes. So, what the judge made clear that there was nothing that he could really -- that she could, excuse me, determine that will really grant bail.

Now, I wanted to point out that this is a magistrate judge, and the magistrate judge is really more administerial in nature, meaning that tomorrow or the day after or sooner after that this case will be given to the district judge who will be hearing this.

Now, at that point, they will indeed try to -- his defense team will indeed try to convince the judge once again that Sean is not a flight risk and that he should be entitled to bail. I personally do not see that happening for the reasons that I mentioned, but that is what they will argue.

BLITZER: Interesting. Lisa Respers France is with us as well. Lisa, that disturbing, very disturbing video of Combs abusing Cassie Ventura at the hotel in Los Angeles was a key point of evidence in today's hearing. How significant was that? And put in perspective for us Combs' enormous fall from grace.

LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: It was very significant because up until that -- up until that point, people were saying that Cassie Ventura and other people who were accusing him were lying and just going for a big payday. But here we see with our own eyes actually what happened and that her allegations were true.

And so it's been very difficult for Diddy because he's a much bigger star than just hip hop. You know, people think of him in terms of being a rapper and a producer, but he had a fashion line. He had spirits. He had a restaurant. Like Diddy is probably one of the biggest stars of our time.

[18:10:02]

And so to see him go from last year in September receiving a key to the city in New York, where Diddy has literally referred to himself as the King of New York, Wolf, and so this was a big deal. And then in June, after we aired that exclusive video, Mayor Adams then asked for that key back.

And so Diddy returned the key because he had to, because it became such a huge deal. Because it's one thing To be accused in a civil case or civil cases when it comes to Diddy, but it's quite another thing to see with our own eyes someone being brutally abused, like Cassie Ventura was. And so, consequently, Wolf, when you had that, it opened up the possibility that other people must not be lying either is how a lot of people in the industry felt. And I personally don't see how he comes back from this.

BLITZER: Yes, we showed our viewers a video of Combs actually receiving that key to the city of New York.

Joey, you heard Combs' attorney say they're appealing this decision in a hearing tomorrow. What would they try to argue to get this bail decision reversed, and how likely is that?

JACKSON: So, Wolf, what they will argue is we know that at the outset of this case that he moved to New York. And what they're going to say is that, listen, he wasn't fleeing anywhere. Yes, he's well resourced. Yes, he can go to anywhere really in the world, if he wanted to, but he didn't. He came here to New York to fight the charges.

Number two, in addition to coming to New York, he offered to surrender. They chose it as prosecutors to get him at the hotel. Why? That was the indication that they were going to look to detain him, right, indefinitely until the case comes.

And number three, they'll argue that, yes, these are decades allegations in terms of 2008 to present, but what they will say is that, you know, he hasn't as of late been certainly a danger to the community and these certainly are allegations.

Last point, Wolf, and that's this. These are life changing allegations. Every indictment is. But there's also a forfeiture provision in here. So, irrespective of whether he's detained or he's out, if he's convicted on this -- and it's an indictment, which is a mere allegation, this has to be proven in court to be clear. But if he's convicted, the government can forfeit everything from the criminal enterprise. That is his world. That means the government could take everything and anything that was a result right of proceeds from who he is and what he does entertainment or otherwise. So, this could change his life as he knows it and, ultimately, that's going to depend upon whether the government proves the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

BLITZER: And potentially he could spend many, many years in prison, right, Joey, maybe the rest of his life?

JACKSON: Without question. You're looking at potentially a 15-year mandatory minimum in addition to, depends, of course, a life sentence.

Now, in the federal government, very briefly, there are these sentencing guidelines. Sentencing guidelines are predicated upon who you are. But, listen, these allegations could keep them behind the bars for a long time.

BLITZER: Certainly true. Lisa Bonner, let me go back to you. In cases like this, how much do you weigh putting the survivors through a trial versus exploring potentially a plea deal that could spare them having to testify? BONNER: Well, I don't perceive them really bringing a -- accepting a plea. At this point, there is so much evidence that is levied against him and the indictment is very strong. It is specific, it is laid out in detail, and it is very extensive.

And so when you look at that, and you look at the vehement denials that Sean has given over the course of this past year, and it wasn't until the video evidence came out with Cassie Ventura, where he was seen brutally beating her, kicking her, dragging her by the hair, throwing a vase at her. And so at this point, really he was really denying all of that.

So, I don't really foresee that changing. He had an opportunity at some point. He knew this was coming. He still was trying to negotiate a surrender versus a plea. So, I really don't think that they're going to be inclined to offer a plea, or will Sean be inclined to offer or accept one. So, I do see this playing out in court very similar to what R. Kelly did. And that was tried over just across the bridge at the Eastern District of New York. So, I really do not foresee any kind of plea.

And it is unfortunate for the survivors because you are pitting them up against the evidence and having to speak on that.

BLITZER: All right, Lisa. Thank you, Lisa, Joey and Lisa. Thanks to all of you. I appreciate it very much.

Just ahead, Vice President Kamala Harris weighs in about what she's calling hateful rhetoric in the 2024 presidential race, calling Donald Trump's false claims about Ohio migrants a crying shame.

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[18:15:00]

BLITZER: In the 2024 presidential race tonight, growing concerns about the role of campaign rhetoric in fueling political violence, Kamala Harris condemning Donald Trump's brazenly false attacks on Ohio migrants in a new interview. This as Trump is trying to blame the Democrats language for the second apparent attempt on his life.

CNN's Kristen Holmes is standing by at a Trump event in Michigan, but first let's go to CNN's Priscilla Alvarez. Priscilla, Harris gave an extensive answer when asked about Trump's and Vance's rhetoric.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, Wolf. A week ago, right near this venue, the vice president was faced with those baseless claims by former President Donald Trump about Haitian migrants head on. But it wasn't until today that she weighed in an interview with the National Association of Black Journalists, where she called the rhetoric both harmful and hateful. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I know that people are deeply troubled by what is happening to that community in Springfield, Ohio, and it's got to stop. And we've got to say that you cannot be entrusted with standing behind the seal of the president of the United States of America engaging in that hateful rhetoric that, as usual, is designed to divide us as a country.

And I think most people in our country, regardless of their race, are starting to see through this nonsense. And to say, you know what, let's turn the page on this. This is exhausting and it's harmful, and it's hateful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, the vice president there referring to the threats that that community has received since these baseless claims have been spewed about Haitian migrants, but the vice president also taking a moment to acknowledge that she did talk to former President Donald Trump this afternoon after that second assassination attempt of Trump. That was a conversation that a White House official said was brief and cordial. She said she wanted to check in, one of the few times that the two have spoken. Wolf?

BLITZER: Interesting. All right, Priscilla, stand by. I want to go to Kristen. Kristen, this is Trump's first campaign event since the second assassination attempt, but he just responded to Kamala Harris' NABJ appearance, right?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. And just to be clear, he has not said anything about a call with Vice President Kamala Harris. That's quite different than what we saw yesterday after he spoke to President Joe Biden and responded almost immediately with a statement saying it was a very nice call.

But, yes, as you said, he just responded to that NABJ interview saying it was the gentlest interview humanly possible. He went on to say that he was treated -- and, by the way, this is his campaign putting this out, that Trump was treated with much more hostility than Kamala Harris was. And then we continue to hear that same rhetoric we have heard from Donald Trump over the last two days, blaming her for the violence, blaming Biden and the Harris administration for what happened to him. One of the things they said specifically was, Kamala continued to stoke the flames of violence against President Trump just two days after an assassination attempt against him.

There had been some questions as to whether or not this was something Donald Trump was just saying or something that his campaign was firmly adopting. And from this statement, it certainly seems as though they are going to continue this rhetoric. We'll see what happens on the stage tonight. He is expected to take questions from audience members.

We do believe most of these audience members are supporters of Donald Trump. We will see how he handles what happened to him over the weekend. Wolf?

BLITZER: All right. Kristen Holmes and Priscilla Alvarez, thanks to both of you.

Joining us now, a co-chair of the Harris Wallace campaign, Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat of Illinois. Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

As you know, Springfield, Ohio is dealing with a wave of threats over baseless claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets, dogs and cats. Vice President Kamala Harris calls Trump and Vance's comments on this harmful and hateful. Why are we hearing this sort of rhetoric from them now?

SEN. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-IL): Well, you know, I think that they don't want to -- the Trump campaign don't want to take responsibility for the hateful rhetoric that he's been spewing now for years, quite literally. And, you know, Wolf, I just saw some flyers coming out of Ohio calling for marches by white supremacists and racist groups, hate groups for Springfield, Ohio. I think this has really ballooned in a way that Trump didn't realize what he was setting into motion when he said what he said during the debate.

BLITZER: And at the same time, Trump is blaming the latest assassination attempt against him on Democratic rhetoric that he says is a threat to democracy in our country. How do you respond to him on that?

DUCKWORTH: Well, I think that he has been the most inflammatory person. And, in fact, Democratic rhetoric has not escalated in any way in recent months, hasn't escalated any way. He has always been a threat to democracy. We've always said that. After all, this is the man who incited the riots on January 6th, who continued to cozy up to white supremacists and other racist hate groups.

He is being very hypocritical, and he's trying to really turn the page away from his terrible performance at the debate and all of the things that are coming out now with his failures on IVF, his failures when it comes to coming up with any type of a plan for the economy. And he's just doing everything he can to try to switch the dialogue, the discussions that's happening from what's truly at hand, which is the voters have a real choice come November, and it's not going to be Donald Trump.

BLITZER: So, you don't think, Senator, that it's dangerous to call him a threat to democracy?

DUCKWORTH: I think he truly is a threat to democracy. I think what is dangerous is what Donald Trump did on January 6th, which was to incite violence and then sit by for hours and hours while this building that I'm in, among other buildings here on Capitol Hill came under attack.

[18:25:02]

BLITZER: I thought it was interesting today, Senator, that Senate Republicans blocked a bill that you co-sponsored guaranteeing access to IVF, in vitro fertilization. Just two Republicans voted in favor with the Democrats. Others accused Democrats of playing politics with this vote. Why bring this bill up now? Was this a serious attempt to pass legislation for families struggling with fertility?

DUCKWORTH: This very much is a serious attempt to pass this legislation. As you said, we did get two Republican votes on this bill. We brought it up again because since the last time we brought it up, President Trump has come out and said that he supports IVF. He wants there to be access to IVF. And numerous Republican colleagues who voted against the bill the last time back in June have come out and said that they support IVF, including saying that they think there should be insurance coverage of IVF. Well, this bill has that language in it for insurance coverage, in addition to creating a statutory right for people to have access to IVF and providing IVF to our military men and women.

So, this was an opportunity for them to vote again redo the vote for, in essence, because since the last time they voted on it, all these Republicans have come forward and said, hey, I support IVF. In fact, President Trump says he support IVF. We put that vote on the floor today. And, of course, yet once again, they voted against it to block Americans' ability to have access.

BLITZER: All right. Senator Tammy Duckworth, thanks so much for joining us.

DUCKWORTH: Thank you.

BLITZER: Coming up, our political experts break down the 2024 campaign rhetoric and the potential dangers in these the final weeks until Election Day.

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[18:30:00]

BLITZER: Let's get some more right now on the escalating war of words over campaign rhetoric in the 2024 presidential race. Our political experts are here to weigh in.

David Chalian, listen to something we just heard from the GOP vice presidential candidate, Senator J.D. Vance. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Tell Kamala Harris, tell Joe Biden, tell all of her surrogates who are saying things like Donald Trump needs to be eliminated, they need to cut that crap out or they're going to get somebody hurt. In fact, they already did get somebody hurt. Corey Comperatore has lost his life. Two other people nearly lost their lives in Butler, PA, because these guys have let the rhetoric in this country get totally out of control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: David, that's a pretty stunning charge from Senator Vance. What do you think?

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, first of all, it is a stunning charge because it has no evidence to back it up that anything Kamala Harris or Joe Biden said had anything to do with the tragic loss of life of that man at the Butler, PA rally. So, it's just not backed up by facts. That is clear. But what's also clear is what J.D. Vance and Donald Trump, to some extent, in listening to him do some of the finger pointing yesterday do just leaning into this in a way and trying to not cede any ground here.

My big question about this, Wolf, is what voter does the Trump-Vance ticket need to win over to their side that's not currently there that will see Donald Trump or J.D. Vance as a credible messenger on this issue of political rhetoric. It seems to me that's going to be a complicated message given Donald Trump's history of amped up political rhetoric since he's been in the center ring of American politics for the last nine years.

So, I just think it's one of those things that speaks inside the echo chamber, but I'm not sure it actually gets to the broader mission here of collecting all the votes they need.

BLITZER: So, Scott Jennings, are Republicans talking out of both sides of their mouth here?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, just to answer David's question, I mean, I think you get a little credibility on this when you get shot at once, come within a millimeter of dying on, live on national television, and then have somebody waiting for you at your golf course to try a second time.

So, I think you get a little credibility when talking about this. I think it's every politician's responsibility to ratchet down this rhetoric. And I do think it's interesting, when something like this happens to Trump, immediately, most people in American politics want to blame Trump, jump to Trump, and try to get him to own everything. But nobody's worried about all the things that are said about Trump, like the bloodbath hoax, and so on and so forth.

So, I do think Democrats have some responsibility here. I can't draw a straight line between that and the guy in Pennsylvania. The guy at the golf course, though, seems like a wacko to me, and he seems like he was radicalized by something out there, and I think it ought to be acknowledged today.

BLITZER: Let me bring in Ameshia Cross for some more analysis. Ameshia, Harris accused Trump of, quote, hateful rhetoric designed to divide the country today, saying, and I, again, I'm quoting her, it's got to stop. Is she following through with her own advice here, though? What do you think?

AMESHIA CROSS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: She absolutely is. It's fine to call a thing a thing. And be mindful, this was at the National Association of Black Journalists. She was talking to that organization, the same organization that just over a month ago Trump sat in front of and castigated black journalists. I was sitting in that room. This is the same guy who has made a habit of hateful rhetoric across multiple platforms over years now, specifically targeted towards communities of color.

And the black community has been one of his primary targets for decades. We're going back to the time at which he was denying Housing in his rental properties in New York, talk about him calling African nations S-hole. That also includes Haiti, the one in which he's also propagating a message currently of Haitian migrants eating people's pets, which is an absolute lie. This is a guy who is known to produce rhetoric that has caused violence against journalists violence, against people of color, violence against so many individuals across this country, and doing so with zero regard for their own safety.

[18:35:00]

So, this is a sad situation that he has had two assassination attempts, absolutely. And the Secret Service needs to be ramped up and do more. But the right, led by Donald Trump, has ushered in some of the most heinous commentary that we have seen on a national stage.

BLITZER: I thought it was interesting, David Chalian, that Kamala Harris addressed the issue of race more today than she has in recent remarks. What struck you about what we heard from her today?

CHALIAN: Well, obviously, the audience that she was talking to, African-American journalists, so I guess not terribly surprising that race was going to be a central topic. But I thought what was really interesting is how much she wanted to lean into that Springfield, Ohio situation, which is where most of her comments about race came from and really try and hold, you know, Vance and Trump accountable for what they have said in that scenario and use it as a contrast to the likes of Governor DeWine or other Republicans, the Republican mayor in Springfield, of what they've been doing.

You know, one, she's trying to paint a sort of irresponsible rhetoric, and one and another slice of Republican officials involved in this trying to have a bit more responsibility for it. She clearly wanted to continue to hold Trump. And Vance and their rhetoric around this as sort of outside the stated goal of wanting to focus on the issue of the pressures, the downward pressures on the city that having these Haitian migrants in the city has clearly caused, that instead she sort of said they were relying on old style tropes.

BLITZER: Ameshia, today is National Voter Registration Day. The former first lady, Michelle Obama, is sharing this video exclusively with CNN, encouraging people to register. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER U.S. FIRST LADY: This election is our moment to continue the fight of those who came before us. And we have the power to do it, but only if we do it together.

This National Voter Registration Day, do it for the dream. Do it for your family, for your future, for each other, for you.

So, register to vote right now and make sure your community is registered and ready to vote too. Get it all done at whenweallvote.org.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And it's a very good reminder, Ameshia, that the final registration dates are very fast approaching in many states right now, right?

CROSS: Absolutely. And we're seeing some flurries of individuals who we really need to take their online organizing to the ballot box. And I would say the overwhelming majority of that is younger women. There are a lot of younger women who are expressing their political views and the things that they want to see happen, particularly around reproductive rights online who, quite frankly, are not registered to vote. So, when we see, when we all vote, when we see these voting campaigns, a large part of it is to get some of those younger voters who are activated online to take that digital activism to the polls. Because in as much as Twitter, X, all the memes and everything may matter to people who are sharing a social agenda, we need people to actually show up on Election Day.

So, I think that this is a good reminder that time frame is very short, not only to the election, but to get registered so that your voice can actually be heard. Michelle Obama is a great spokesperson for it, but there are several organizations across the country that are pitching the same thing today.

BLITZER: And, Scott, early voting is also kicking off in many states right now. This has been a problem for Republicans in the past, in several past elections. Do you see that changing?

JENNINGS: No, not really. I mean, I think the party is doing a better job of telling Republicans that it's a good idea to get your vote in now, and I think the party's gotten better at it. But, traditionally, culturally, a lot of Republicans just like to vote on Election Day. And I think you're going to continue to see that this year, despite the party's best efforts to get people to participate on this low propensity or no propensity voter. I mean, there are a lot of people out there who aren't registered that do support Donald Trump as well.

And so I don't know specifically about. Statistics on this but my assumption is the Republicans in the Trump campaign are working very hard to get new people into the voter Pool as well who have no real demonstrable history of participating.

BLITZER: Good discussion all around, guys. Thank you very much for joining us.

Just ahead, CNN on the scene in Hawaii as the FBI searches the home of the suspect in the latest apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump. We'll have a live report on the latest in the investigation. That's next.

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[18:40:00]

BLITZER: More breaking news this hour. FBI agents spotted by CNN as they searched the Hawaii home of the suspect in the apparent Trump assassination attempt in Florida.

CNN's Randi Kaye is following all the new developments in the investigation, including a separate probe now being launched by state officials.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Next time Donald Trump hits the links, there may be substantially more security around him. That's what Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe told Trump this week, according to three people familiar with the meeting. Rowe told Trump there were concerns about securing his private courses, given the large amounts of space and proximity to public roads, sources said.

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): The state of Florida has jurisdiction over the most serious, straightforward offense, which is attempted murder.

KAYE: This as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis adds his name to the dueling investigations into the apparent attempt on former President Donald Trump's life. A staunch Trump ally, the Republican governor announced a state probe and injected politics into the investigation, repeating his often used attack line against the federal government.

DESANTIS: In my judgment, it's not in the best interest of our state or our nation that the same federal agencies that are seeking to prosecute Donald Trump leading this investigation.

KAYE: DeSantis also revealed the investigation into Ryan Routh is expanding in the state of Florida, where he says the suspect is believed to have broken state laws in three counties. And as authorities work to track the stolen license plate found on his black Nissan --

[18:45:12]

And that could really speak to his whereabouts.

SHERIFF WILLIAM SNYDER, MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA: They'll go back now to the scene of the crime or the tags was stolen and they'll look at video county. I think they're going to find his digital fingerprints all over the place. They'll go back to the registered owner, say where what was the last time you saw your tag on there.

KAYE: The investigation is also heating up in Hawaii. The FBI searched Routh's home in Hawaii on the east side of the island of Oahu. Agents executed a court authorized search warrant.

Ryan Routh's mug shots are a roadmap of sorts to his criminal past. Court documents obtained by CNN show in 2002, Routh was charged in Greensboro, North Carolina with possessing a weapon of mass death and destruction, a binary explosive device with a detonation cord and a blasting cap. He pleaded guilty.

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KAYE (on camera): And, Wolf, just picking up on those Secret Service concerns about security at Donald Trump's golf courses because they're too expansive and too close to the road, even today, Ron DeSantis, the governor here in Florida, spoke to that. He said that when he played golf not too long ago with Donald Trump here at Trump International Golf Club. He remembered going around that fifth and sixth hole where the suspect is believed to have been lying in wait and he remembers just how exposed he felt, Wolf.

BLITZER: Randi Kaye, reporting from West Palm Beach, thank you very much.

Coming up, local officials urging parents to return their kids to school in Springfield, Ohio, as threats stemming from a baseless conspiracy continued to shake that Ohio town.

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[18:50:55]

BLITZER: New pictures into CNN of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visiting an elementary school in the city of Springfield. New security measures are in place as Springfield reels from threats linked to false claims about Haitian immigrants.

CNN's Brian Todd is joining us here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Brian, how is the city doing right now?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The city remains very tense, Wolf, because the threats are still coming in. The strain on state and city officials is palpable. The vice president, a short time ago, spoke about it.

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TODD (voice-over): Tonight, Vice President Kamala Harris weighing in on the tension in Springfield, Ohio, the fears of the Haitian immigrant community there, and the threats directed toward them.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's a crying shame, literally, what's happening to those families, those children in that community, not to mention what is happening in terms of -- look, you say you care about law enforcement, law enforcement resources.

TODD: And those resources have been pouring in. Today, an influx of state police sweeping all of the district 17 school buildings and staying on campuses all day.

Bomb detection dog teams roving the city, tower cameras installed. Officials say schools in Springfield have received more than 30 bomb threats since last week, along with threats of shootings.

MAYOR ROB RUE, SPRINGFIELD, OHIO: We were not receiving threats before at this level when we were highlighted on the national stage. Now, we have threats. Now -- now, we're having to respond.

TODD: Public schools in Springfield reopen today under this veil of fear. But two local colleges have shut down and gone to virtual learning for the rest of the week because of the threats. Last week, two area hospitals had to shut down because of threats.

Haitian community leaders say the strain for some is unbearable.

ROSE-THAMAR JOSEPH, HAITIAN COMMUNITY LEADER IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO: The Haitian community in Springfield are a little bit -- are shocked and frustrated. And a lot of them are -- maybe talking about leaving Springfield.

TODD: Earlier this month, false internet and social media rumors circulated that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating dogs and cats. The threats began pouring in after former President Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, amplified the rumors.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They're eating -- they're eating the pets of the people that live there.

TODD: Local and state officials say the claims are all completely baseless. One analyst who monitors extremism worries about the rhetoric circulating about Springfield on the Dark Web and elsewhere.

LA'NITA JOHNSON, EXPERT ON EXTREMISM: We know the fear that is thrown in chat rooms. We see the mis- and disinformation that is often in these online spaces. I do fear that this is a different type of rhetoric then that will than we've seen in the past. It's hinging on dehumanization, which is unfortunately common in the United States.

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TODD: Speaking about the people who are actually issuing the threats, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said at least some of those actors are overseas. DeWine said some of the threats are coming from one particular country, but he did not name that country, Wolf.

BLITZER: Interesting.

Brian Todd, thank you very much. And we'll be right back.

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[18:58:28]

BLITZER: Tonight, CNN has learned that Israel is behind the deadly pager attack in Lebanon. This as "The New York Times" is reporting that Israel planted explosives in pagers which were then sold to Hezbollah.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has more and a warning, some of the images are graphic.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At the fruit display, at the checkout, in the streets, hard to overstate the psychological impact of hundreds of blast across Lebanon, mostly in Hezbollah areas, pagers exploding at about 3:30 according to the group. Security forces asking Lebanese to stay off the road so the sheer volume of emergency vehicles could get to hospital.

Nearly 3,000 patients, at least 170 critical. Easily, the most widespread moment of violence did across Lebanon since the 2006 war with Israel, who Hezbollah is now firmly blaming for these new attacks on their TV channels.

We blame the Israeli enemy with full responsibility, the TV anchor said, to this criminal attack but also harm civilians.

Israel themselves declined to claim the attack.

It comes at yet another critical time. Monday, Israel's defense minister hinted meeting the U.S. envoy that the time for a diplomatic solution of how to get tens of thousands of Israelis home to the war- plagued north had mostly passed, that a military option is all that remains.

The hope had been for calm after the death of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, also killed in a violation of Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut led to great fury but minimal fire. With Hezbollah's retaliation restrained, perhaps by preemptive Israeli strikes, many felt the moment of conflagration had passed.

Now, it seems back again with --

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BLITZER: Nick Paton Walsh reporting for us -- Nick, thank you.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.