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Hala Gorani Tonight
Comey Memos Released Detailing Trump Conversations; DNC Files Suit Against Trump Campaign, Russia, WikiLeaks; Iran's Morality Police Scuffle With Woman Sparking Outrage; Hotline Between North And South Korea Connected; Nationwide School Walkouts In U.S. To Protest Gun Violence; Cohen's Legal Team References Potential Indictment; Comey's Memos Detail Conversations With Trump; President Trump Set To Welcome Macron; Arsene Wenger To Leave Arsenal AT The End Of Season; AT&T CEO Takes Witness Stand In Merger Trial; Prince Charles To Be Next Commonwealth Head. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired April 20, 2018 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:11] ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello everyone, a very good evening. Live from CNN London, I'm Isa Soares sitting in for Hala
Gorani.
Tonight, new memos covering Russia, loyalty, and prostitutes are giving us a glimpse into the awkward interaction between Donald Trump and then FBI
Director James Comey. Also, this shocking video from Iran has triggered outrage and condemnation from authorities. And it's the end of an era for
the first time since 1996, Arsenal will have a new manager after Arsene Wenger calls it quits.
We want to begin this hour in Washington because a seeming obsession with loyalty leak (ph) us a salacious allegations in a controversial dossier.
We're getting new insight into Donald Trump's mindset early in his administration, at least from the point of view of by the FBI Director
James Comey.
Now, the Comey memos that documented conversations with President Trump are the talk of Washington today and indeed the talk of much everywhere else it
seems after they were leaked to the public. As Abby Phillip now reports Comey's recollections made clear that Mrs. Trump considers a Russian
investigation at cloud over his entire presidency. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Personal memos from fired FBI Director James Comey obtained by CNN detailed conversations
Comey had with President Trump.
JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: I think what folks will see if they get to see the memos is I think assistance since very beginning right after my
encounters with President Trump.
PHILLIP: Comey revealing in his memos, the president said he had serious reservations about Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. During
that infamous dinner with Mr. Trump at the White House where Comey says the president asked for a loyalty pledge. Comey writing, "The President
pointed his fingers at his head and said, the guy has serious judgment issues."
Comey, also describing another meeting he had with the President a couple of weeks later in which he says the president kicked everyone out of the
oval office including Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He then return to the topic of Michael Flynn, saying that Flynn is a good a guy and has been
through a lot.
He said, "I hope you can see your way clear to lettings this go, to letting Flynn go. He's a good guy. I hope you can let this go." I replied by
saying "I agree he's a good guy, but said no more."
And just days before Flynn was fired by the President for misleading the vice president about his contacts with Russia's ambassador, "He then asked
me if this was a private conversation. I replied that it was. He then said, he wanted to ask me a question and I had to decide whether it was
appropriate to answer. He then asked, do you have FISA order on Michael Flynn?"
That same day, Comey says he met with Mr. Trump who suggest that he spoke to Russian president Vladimir Putin. The President said, "The hooker thing
is non-sense, but that Putin had told him we have some of the most beautiful hookers in the world." Comey addressing the salacious claim last
night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They told you that he'd had a personal conversation with President Putin about hookers?
COMEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you believe him or did you think he was speaking hyperbolically?
COMEY: He didn't seem to be speaking hyperbolically.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do we otherwise know that the president had had personal conversations with Vladimir Putin at that point?
COMEY: I can't recall. I think there was public reporting that he had spoken to Vladimir Putin as sort of a welcome, you know, congratulations on
taking office thing at that point. I'm not suggesting they talked about how beautiful the hookers were in Russia, but I do know there was at least
one publicly reported conversation.
PHILLIP: President Trump has repeatedly denied having a relationship with Putin before taking office, but comments over the years, raised questions
about their ties.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I spoke indirectly with President Putin who could not have been nicer. I have nothing to do with Putin, I never spoke
into him.
PHILLIP: Just hours before Comey's bombshell memos surfaced, Rudy Giuliani confirming that he's joining Mr. Trump's personal legal team. The former
New York mayor tells CNN he hopes to bring Mueller's Russia investigation to a conclusion, saying, "It needs a little push."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, Mr. Trump is no stranger to lawsuits, but many people didn't see this one coming. The Democratic National Committee is now suing the
Trump Campaign, Russia, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as well as others, alleging a widespread conspiracy.
Let's bring in CNN Political Commentator David Swerdlick, we're joined by CNN White House Reporter Kaitlan Collins. Plenty for us to get our teeth
(ph) into it today.
David let's start with you. What more can you tell us about this suit being filed by the Democrats? What exactly are they alleging?
DAVID SWERDLICK, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, the suits centers around this idea that some of the information that was hacked from the DNC that
then went out into the public stream via WikiLeaks was the timing was very coincidental, shall we say with some of the statements made by Trump
advisor Roger Stone.
[15:05:03] And so, that's a part of this. Another part of this is simply pursuing, you know, a theory of the case that is similar to the special
council's investigation that members of Trump's close orbit were working either inadvertently or deliberately. Communicating with members of, you
know, people are connected with the Russian government to undermine Hilary Clinton's presidential campaign and help President Trump's campaign.
That's the theory of the case.
Getting that into a separate hard (ph) case rather than relying on the special counsel's investigation, I think in part is a way to say, look,
even if President Trump shuts down the special counsel investigation which run by Robert Mueller is underneath the deputy attorney general who is
under the attorney general, who's under President Trump. This will still proceed in court because now there's a lot of information out there in the
public space that they can use to at least get it into court. I think that's a lot -- where the Democrats are headed with this.
SOARES: And Kaitlan, what has been the reaction from the White House regarding this suit? Or, are they seeing that to some seeing as a bit of a
stunt or perhaps taking more seriously altogether?
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, so far there hasn't been any reaction from the White House, of course the president here in Palm
Beach with a limited number of aides around him. They haven't formally responded from the White House yet or the president has not responded on
Twitter. But you can guess what the reactions that this is going to be.
For more than a year now, they have denied that there was any collusion between any members of their campaign especially with Donald Trump and the
Russian government. So, it's likely that will be their response. And, of course, this does seem to be an attention grabbing lawsuit air force
because there are 30 essentially what the Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating and have not come to a conclusion on yet.
So, certainly that, but it does seem that they are taking a page out of the president playbook. Of course he has filed lawsuits like this before the -
- or certainly just there to grab headlines and not necessarily base on anything legal, and that's essentially what this could be here whether or
not there's any legal -- where this could go move forward.
And so that will be the question here, but of course the White House are likely pushed back on this if they do respond to it. Certainly the
president might if he watches some television over the weekend.
SWERDLICK: Yes. I think that's a great point that Kaitlan made. It's just exactly the kind of move that President Trump would've made in a
different context.
SOARES: And, David, let's move on if we can to the Comey memos. Because what we have already seen pretty much written in black and white are, in
many ways, very stunning observations of a president obsess as we said in our introduction with prostitutes and as well as the Russian investigation.
What would you say is the most significant takeaway from this?
SWERDLICK: I mean, this goes in so many different directions. It's hard to pick just one. I think it's that we maybe learned last night that
Director Comey might have had a little more -- granular detail about his interactions with President Trump than he lead on previously in
congressional testimony.
I think another takeaway is that we don't know for sure although, you know, there's plenty to go on whether President Trump describing or
characterizing his relationship with President Putin before he became president was about -- was hoofery (ph), right, trying to make himself look
like a big man on the world stage, to enhance his political profile, to become president. Or if it's a case that there is something to this and
that he have an undisclosed conversational relationship with President Putin before he became president. We don't know for sure based on what
Director Comey said.
I think when it comes to information in this, you know, now legendary or infamous dossier and when it comes to information that Director Comey
briefed President Trump on before he was fired, I think that, you know, what matters ultimately is probably most, whether or not President Trump
and President Putin had any kind of connection unless, maybe some of the salacious details.
But at the same time, you know, it does reflect on a pattern that we've seen that President Trump bonding with other men, radio host, people that
he's friends with in business over this idea of he's the ladies man or he has a discerning eye when it comes objectifying women. So, this is of
appease with all of that if true.
SOARES: And Kaitlan, I mean President Trump probably thought he weathered (ph) in many ways see the Comey storm with the book, but now he has these
memos, these private conversations with Comey being released.
What is being the reaction? I mean I remember him saying that he had said that it clearly shows no collusion and obstruction. And he said that he
vindicates him. Explain to us how so, what's his thinking here?
COLLINS: Well, he's asserting that they've vindicate essentially saying that they prove that there was no collusion, of course, that's something
that President has said dozens of times over the last year.
[15:10:08] So, he just said it at the press conference at a conference with the Japanese Prime Minister down here in Southern Florida a few days ago.
So, that is what he's asserting his anger. His memos actually are in his favor in some way.
They do show that James Comey was consistent at what he's saying in these memos, what he testified before Congress. And so, it does contribute to
this completing argument between the two men that they're the one telling the correct story here. And the President has said that he does not agree
with Comey's account of what transpired between the two of them during those dinners and those phone calls, but the president hasn't offered
anything.
But beyond that any kind of his own kind of memo or anything like that, of course, he'll recall that the president insinuated several months ago that
he had take those conversations and say -- then he later said that there wasn't a taking system in the White House. So this is just contributing to
this battle that we've seen between James Comey and the President.
SOARES: A battle that no doubt will go on. Kaitlan Collins, thank you very much. David Swerdlick, thanks of you both to speak -- of speaking to
us here tonight on the show.
SWERDLICK: Thank you.
SOARES: Now, the Kremlin is now responding to an eyebrow raising claim in the Comey memos, we just had that. That involves Vladimir Putin himself.
Sam Kiley is in Moscow tonight with much more reaction.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Isa, we put directly to the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, the allegation that is emerge from
the Comey memos of his meetings with Donald Trump that the Russian President praise the high quality of hookers to the American President.
And that that was past done (ph) as part of his private or during his private meeting with the then head of the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Now, the Russians have responded directly to that CNN question from Mr. Peskov saying that "President Putin could not say such things and did not
say it to President Trump, taking into account that they've communicated before Trump became President."
Now, there is a sort of area of bit of rigger on there (ph) for Comey to still be correct in this allegation of his conversation could have take in
place, if though indeed there was a conversation over the phone post- election to pre-inauguration of Donald Trump during period in subsequent to the allegations that came out in the infamous still dossier of bizarre
sexual acts witness by Donald Trump in a hotel in Moscow.
Vladimir Putin had a press conference in January 2017 did dismiss these allegations, saying it's hard to believe that he ran into a hotel to meet
with that girls of a low social class, although they are the best in the world, he says.
So, this is a boast that the Russian President has made the issue is whether or not and how he made it directly to the president of the United
States of America. Isa.
SOARES: No words Sam Kiley, thank you very much. Now, to a story that is sparking outrage on social media. Shocking video has emerged out of Iran,
apparently showing morality police wrestling with a woman over her head scarf. Salma Abdelaziz is covering this story, she joins me here in the
studio.
Salma, talk us through. I mean this video is so hard to watch, isn't it? Talk us through what exactly happened here.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN PRODUCER: So, Isa, first of all I just want to start by telling you that in the past few months there has been a growing
movement against hijab there in Iran. We've seen woman taking off their veil, waiving it in public that is something called hashtag White
Wednesday.
And very much in that day, in this viral video while it is spontaneous, it's not part of this protest movement, it's really half (ph) into it. So
just take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDETAPE)
ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): A dramatic moment of defiance. It's now a viral video shows Iran so-called "morality policy" in a physical confrontation
with a woman. Her crime, allegedly wearing her headscarf too loosely.
First, the police woman seen here wearing all black tries to pull the woman in the red headscarf aside. Sit, I'm telling you, sit you animal she says.
The woman refuses and yells an insult, "You are without honor."
The confrontation turns physical, the agent's pushing and shouting screams of "Leave her alone and help Iraq" as the woman's friends tried to protect
her. When falls to the ground, it's too chaotic to see why.
Before the clip ends, a final exchange "I'm going to file a complaint and suit a hell out of you", one of the woman says. The police officer
response, "You can't do a damn thing".
CNN cannot independently verify the video.
[15:15:00] But Masih Alinejad, an Iranian woman right back to this said she was given this material by an eyewitness who told her these university
students were celebrating a birthday in a Tehran Park when the altercation ensued.
MASIH ALINEJAD, IRANIAN WOMAN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: They were not even unveiled. But the police thought that, you know, they don't have
inappropriate hijab. So, the police went to them and asked them that cover yourself. One of the girl got, you know, resisted the police.
ABDELAZIZ: Iran's interior ministry has called for an investigation into the incident. And Iran's vice president for woman's affairs condemned the
attack tweeting, "What justifies this behavior? Where is the limit of an officer's action? Even if they were insulted, I strongly condemn this
treatment. No human deserves this kind of harsh anti-religion behavior."
More than 35 women since December 2017 have been arrested in Tehran in an ongoing movement against the compulsory veil according to the CNN (ph)
international. The guidance patrol, commonly known as the "morality policy", has been accused of using force to impose requirement (ph) dress
codes.
ALINEJAD: Every individual woman in Iran who never believe in compulsory hijab, they have the same experience. So, this time this is the power of
social media getting all the people under one umbrella.
ABDELAZIZ: The gathering course of voices online and on the street may finally have the government's attention.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ: So can hear there, Isa, just kind of the rawness of that confrontation, just how loud these women are screaming. And remember, it's
taken place in a public park. And what is so interesting about this incident and it's already gotten two million views on social media
according to that activist.
In the past, usually you see authorities clamp down for the silence defend. In this case, they've responded in a way that's acknowledging. They said,
we will launch an investigation. You saw the woman's affairs minister there saying condemning it, saying it was unacceptable. So, women are
wondering, are we finally being heard?
SOARES: I mean, and do we know what this woman come out to speak to woman that was actually abused here or attacked?
ABDELAZIZ: So, again, because Iran is such a secretive country and, of course, there's a lot of consequences two speaking out loud, she herself
has not talked out loud. But that activist we speak who you see in that report, she has -- it's a really kind of credit that was with kind of
overseeing this movement, this hashtag White Wednesday movement.
She has all these hashtags (ph) to try to encourage people to send her video, send her material, and through that channel she got this video from
an eyewitness, from someone who was there on the ground and who saw it unfold and said I just can't be silence about this. I want to share this
with you and help you (INAUDIBLE).
SOARES: It's tragic that we have to get to this point in order for the higher authorities attract to pay attention with that. Salma Abdelaziz,
thank you very much.
Still to come tonight, North and South Korea make a new connection via historic hotline. We'll tell you about the first prospering (ph) to their
conversation and what have come next.
Last, students across U.S. are walking out of class to mark the 19 years since the Columbine Massacre and demand action against gun violence. We'll
bring you that story too after a very short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:20:23] SOARES: Now, believe it or not but a brief conversation about the weather earlier Friday was actually history in the making. North and
South Korean officials chattered for a little longer than four minutes over a new hotline connecting the leaders off the two Koreas. Moon Jae-in and
Kim Jong-un are expected to have a phone conversation ahead of their summit next week.
And CNN's Ivan Watson has more on this new symbolic and as well a literal connection between the north and the south.
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Isa, what a difference five or six months makes. Just last November, North Korea was firing missiles
and South Korea was engaged in countermeasures to try to protect itself and as a deterrent. And now, the two rivals are embarking on what appears to
be a period of telephone diplomacy which will soon be followed, if all goes according to plan by face to face diplomacy with the two heads of state.
For the first time ever, a hotline has been established between the headquarters government in Pyongyang and the headquarters of the president
here in Seoul. It runs to the third story of the so-called Blue House that's the residence and the compound that is the working quarters of
President Moon Jae-in here.
I'll actually go to his working desk on the third floor and there will be an extension to his residence as well. And we've learned from the
president's office here that the line was tested today, shortly after 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon about a four and a half minute call where both sides
exchanged pleasantries, discussed the weather and wished each other luck for the upcoming face to face summit that is scheduled on the demilitarized
zone on April 27th.
Before that meeting does take place, we're told that both leaders are expected to have a phone call some time next week along this new phone
line. And both sides are still preparing for this historic face to face meeting, they're going to be holding rehearsals in the peace village that
compound on the DMZ where the meeting will take place next Friday. There's even a meeting of kind of preparatory committees taking place there on
Saturday.
Now, the South Koreans have made this clear that this is a stepping stone, a milestone. And, if success, between North and South Korea will hinge
very much on a subsequent summit scheduled between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Trump, but the date and location of that summit has yet
to be determined. Isa.
SOARES: Thanks very much Ivan. Now, to the U.S. State of Florida where student were shot in school. This happened in the city of Cala, authority
say the 17-year old victim was shot in the ankle.
Now, the wound is not considered life threatening. The 19-year old suspect who's not a student is in custody. And this is believed to be the 20th
school shooting in the United States this year.
One of most (ph) sad twist this shooting happened shortly before planned student protest over gun violence. Across the U.S., students are walking
out of school demanding actions from lawmakers. Here you can see students in Phoenix, Arizona taking the football field to spell out as you can see
there SOS message.
Today is the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting massacre and students in Parkland Florida took part. That's where 17 students, if you
remember, and stuff were gun down in February. CNN's Dianne Gallagher is live there for us from that.
And, Diana, let's start off with the student who was wounded. How do we -- do we know how the student is doing?
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we do know right now Isa that, again, that student was shot in the ankle. According to school district,
they don't believe it's going to be anything that's life threatening where too (INAUDIBLE) altering at this point.
But, of course we are talking about the physical. There is there is the trauma that all of those students in that school experience, Isa. They
posted pictures of what they were doing when they heard there was a gun at their school. And they heard gunshots and the alert for that pushing all
of their desks and stocking them up against the wall and the door to try and barricade themselves in there.
A lot of these students said that they were frightened. And, of course, they thought about what happened here just a little more than two months
ago where about four hours from Ocala and this is something that's stay in the mind of the young people. Not just in Florida but across the nation.
SOARES: Oh, I can imagine so. And we have seen students walk out today as part of a national protest. What have they been telling you?
GALLAGHER: So, it was unusual this time. So, this national school walk out day kind of got started in the days after the shooting here in
Parkland.
[15:25:06] There was a teenager in Connecticut, she wanted to do something to sort of get the movement going nationwide. And she decided that only
anniversary, the Columbine shooting with many considered to sort of be the first major mass school shooting. And the kids called themselves the mass
shooting generation and they harkened back to that shooting.
And so, the kids in Columbine always takes the day off, Isa. They don't go to school, they call it a day of service. That school even had school on
that day in 19 years. And so, the principal had sent out a letter saying, hey guys, I know there's a walk out plan but maybe you could also do some
service project because we don't want this to be protest, we want to help.
So, some of the students here in Parkland decided to stay in class at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, instead they worked in the school garden.
They decided to work on a bare project for Columbine. David Hogg was a senior, he has sort of become one of the faces of this movement.
SOARES: Yes.
GALLAGHER: Talked about the -- what make (INAUDIBLE) together. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID HOGG, MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS STUDENT: We're diverse but unified friend, you know. We have different ideas of how to go about this and I
think that's great because we can do multiple things. Like here, we can -- like help pick up trash part within at our school, there's kids that are
working in our school's garden that are volunteering today. And there's also kinds that are just going on registering a vote, and that's really
what matters here.
So long as you register to vote, and so long as you vote on this issues in November, that's all that matters here. Because if we don't -- we have all
the walk outs we want. But if we don't walk into that out (ph) box and make our voice just heard, these politicians aren't going to listen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: And I will tell you, he said that the kids have walked out like David did and the dozens and dozen of others who went to that park to make
this banner for the Columbine students.
Look, they reprimanded school. Their principal said, we are going to discipline you. I've been told by teachers that that's probably going to
be in the form of an unexcused absent. But it's not the same as before, they say that they want to make sure these kids are learning and they're
kind of getting back into the group of being students again after what happened here.
SOARES: And Dianne, explain to our international audience what this student movement, this walkout have enabled to achieve. And whether they
still have the momentum that we have seen in the last couple of weeks.
GALLAGHER: So, (INAUDIBLE) the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas actually were able to inspire fresher, the most would probably say
lawmakers at the state level to do quite a bit. They sort of had an over mull of many of their gun laws including raising the age of having to
purchase weapons to 21 years old which is a big accomplishment.
Many people didn't think that'd be something they go for. They change, they had amendatory waiting period and other aspects of the gun laws here.
Some of the students wanted to see an assault weapon bad. And that wasn't something you they were able to accomplish in Florida. Many have said it's
unlikely all together in the United States at the state level or even at a national level.
Again, Isa, now most of your international audience probably watched the "March For our Lives", a lot of different students and different cities
around the world participated. And in fact even though their gun laws are very different, they wanted to show support.
The students are continuing to do that. Right now their main effort is registering young people to vote and pre-registering them to vote. So,
with the movement guide down a bit, these 16 and 17 year olds will automatically be registered when they turn to 18. So they don't have to
worry about if the movement died down next year not having all of these kids registered.
That at this point is their main issue as they continue to try to work on Congress to change gun laws and increase, we'll say, that's something out
of federal level they've been able to do, but they didn't do anything on guns.
SOARES: Dianne Gallagher there for us in Parkland Florida. Thanks very much Dianne, good to see you.
Now, the Swedish D.J. and producer Tim Bergling also known as Avicii has died at the age of 28. You may know him from his bigger hit "Wake Me Up".
(MUSIC)
He was found dead in Muscat, Oman on Friday afternoon. He retired from live performing back in 2016 sighting health reasons, no further
information was available on the cause of his death.
And still to come tonight, we'll look at the many illegal issues surrounding U.S. president including a new one from DENC. The Stormy
Daniels, our legal analyst will explain where we stand with all of that.
Plus, a record unrivaled in football's biggest league, Arsenal's legendary football manager is stepping down. What that means for the club, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:01] ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back, you're watching Hala Gorani tonight. It's 8:31 here in London. Now,
the Stormy Daniels saga rages on. The porn star and her press friendly attorney argued that she should be released from a non-disclosure
agreement. Free to discuss the alleged affair with Donald Trump. But to achieve that, she's suing President Trump and his lawyer, Michael Cohen.
Now, Cohen's attorney is going to (INAUDIBLE) to explain why this civil case should be postponed even alluding to much bigger legal issues that his
client might be facing. Miguel Marque is live for us there. Miguel, break this down for us, because it seems it's been a day of high drama inside the
courtroom. Tell us what's been happening.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I think drama, President Trump and Stormy Daniels kind of go hand in hand and there is a lot. Look,
this is happening on both coasts, on the east there is the criminal case, there was a search of Mr. Cohen's hotel room, his home and his office last
week. And that caused a great concern for not only Mr. Cohen but President Trump as well. And this is a civil case that's happening out here.
The lawyers for Mr. Cohen wanted all to sort of kick down the road until they can sort out what the criminal case against Mr. Cohen will look like.
At one point, during the trial -- during today's hearing, Brent Blakely, the lawyer for Michael Cohen said, my client could be charged in the next
90 days in the criminal case in New York. Mr. Avenatti here has been saying that publicly all along. That works against Stormy Daniels and
Michael Avenatti, her lawyer, in this preceding because Michael Avenatti has tried to paint this as -- even if there are criminal cases, even if Mr.
Cohen takes the Fifth Amendment here, there are so other people who talk to and we can move ahead with trial. He wants this process to move as quickly
as possible. And in court, he said one thing, saying, I don't know if he's going to be charged. He might be charged, he might not be charged. It
could happen. Then it came out to the cameras instead, oh, yes, we really think that in the next 90 days Michael Cohen will be charged. So he's
having it sort of both ways. The judge sort of admonishing very lightly the lawyers in court saying, look, leave all the media and stuff. I know
this is a high profile case. But leave all that outside the courtroom. I only want to deal with legal issues here.
The question now for this courtroom is will Michael Cohen plead the Fifth in all of this proceedings. His lawyer has said he probably would. The
judge wants to see a declaration of that in writing. And then he's going to take every little thing discussed today under submission and issue a
ruling sometime down the road about whether there's a 30-day stay, a 90-day stay if there is no stay at all and it's full steam ahead here. Hala.
SOARES: Miguel Marquez, kudos to you for staying on top of the story that has so many twists and turns. Thanks you, Miguel.
[15:35:00] Well, the attorney for Stormy Daniels says he plans vehemently argue against the attempt from President Trump to Michael Cohen to delay
her lawsuit. Michael Avenatti spoke to journalists outside the court as Miguel has just had that mentioned. Take a listen to what he have to day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL AVENATTI, ATTORNEY OF STORMY DANIELS: It's clear to me that Michael Cohen and the President do not want to publicly state what I had
been stating for some time and which I think is obvious to everyone and is obvious to the court and that is that it is Michael Cohen's intention to
take the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination when asks questions about this agreement, the negotiation and the cover-up. And that fact
alone should be very disturbing to the American people. I don't think that this could be overstated. We're talking about the personal counsel to the
President of the United States who presumably knows where a lot of bodies are buried and it has come to the fact or come to the point in time that it
appears that he will plead the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination. I think that is a staggering turn of events.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: So, what does this all mean? I want to bring in CNN legal analyst, Shan Wu, he's a defense attorney and former lawyer for former
Trump campaign deputy, Rick Gates. He's live in Washington for us. Mr. Wu, thank you very much for talking to us. I just want to get your take.
We just heard that from the lawyer Avenatti. What would it mean if he does indeed plead the Fifth? Where does this go?
SHAN WU, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: That's a very common concern as going on with the new DNC cases, well, in the future. What that would mean is that the
judge would have to determine if there's a well-founded possibility for the Fifth Amendment being implicated. I think that's a no-brainer here, given
that the search warrant was executed in New York, and that would really gum up any type of civil procedure process going forward with the case.
SOARES: Could anyone else testify if he gives the Fifth? Because -- is that the end of it? Or what would that mean?
For the individual asserting the Fifth, that would be the end of it. Other people could testify without implicating that person's right not to self-
incriminate.
SOARES: you mentioned the Democratic National Committee, the Washington Post basically saying that they filed a lawsuit against President Trump,
the Trump campaign as well as others. What do you make of it? I mean, do they have even a federal case here?
WU: They certainly have a federal case. And it's very interesting because historically, the same thing happened during the Watergate era where the
DNC filed a lawsuit against the Republican National Committee as well as the committee to reelect Nixon. That case, interestingly, it's actually
settled the day that Nixon resigned for about $740,000. Here, they're asking for millions of dollars and there are many people named including my
former client, Mr. Gates. I don't represent him in this, of course, can't talk about the past case. But there are individuals such as Manafort, such
as Gates, Jared Kushner, and of course the country of Russia is named. So there's an interesting legal issue there as to the sovereign immunity
aspect for Russia, but there are some exceptions in the law which may apply here.
SOARES: Yes. You mentioned Russia, I mean, how would -- you mentioned that they're not just suing the Trump campaign, Julian Assange, Roger
Stone, Pau Manafort, George Papadopoulos, but also Russia. How do you even go about trying to sue Russia and what would you think is their strategy?
Is this just trying to get deposition? Is it publicity stunt just to try to get the positions here?
WU: It certainly a strategic move. I mean, it's really piling on the pressure on President Trump and it could be a way to get him to plead more,
perhaps, or to block more publicly, which we're falling to kind of strategic trap. But they have real legal issues that they've raised and t
answers to the question, how do you get Russia into it with great difficulty? I mean, if the Russians hire lawyer and make an appearance,
they may be waving their jurisdiction. But from a strategic standpoint, there are a lot of pitfalls here, for example, the Fifth Amendment issue
that's going on with the Stormy Daniels situation, pretty much everybody here is involved in Bob Mueller's special counsel Russian probe. So all of
those important and visuals would also have Fifth Amendment concerns and they would most likely move to stay the civil suit to let the criminal
investigation go for it first.
SOARES: Yes. It begs the questions, what would happen if this is happening? What would happen to the Mueller? Would that impact the
Mueller investigation at all?
WU: The Mueller people would not want a civil suit going forward. Under the American system of civil discovery and enormous amount of information
would come forth. Not to mention people's Fifth Amendment rights being implicated. Prosecutors, we always want to have our criminal matters go
ahead of a civil matter and usually the judges will be quite respectful of that.
SOARES: now, let's talk about the Comey memo. There's so much for us to get for apologies. But it's been very busy in the last couple of days in
Washington. We have heard President saying the statement overnight that the memo show clearly there was no collusion or obstruction. Is he right?
Is there anything there that we didn't already know from your point of view, from a legal standpoint?
[15:40:13] WU: I think there is not a smoking gun in the memos with regards to obstruction. Important distinction to make is that when
director Comey was making these notes, he was not conducting a formal interview. It's not that the FBI agent or interviewing the president and
the president might have the liability of a false statements. He was making these notes for his own use in the future, making sure that he knew
whether it happened because this would be an area of interest in the future. So there's no smoking gun. A lot of this has been disclosed
already in Mr. Comey's book and testimony. But there are a couple of things I think is worth noting, for example, Comey's rather cryptic
reference to other intelligence agencies having verify some of the information, naturally raises the big question of whether the most
salacious aspects of it were in fact verified by other intelligence agencies. That's very much an open question and that of course is a great
concern in terms of national security whether the Russians actually have compromising information with regards to President Trump.
SOARES: And finally very quickly before you go, I know that former mayor Rudy Giuliani is now joining Trump's personal legal team. Do you think
he'll be able to influence the Mueller investigation?
WU: Not based on his personal relationship with Mueller. I was in the same attorney's office as director Mueller, a man like that, any
professional enforcement person is not going to be influence by personal connections. I do think former mayor Giuliani is the right kind of
heavyweight defense to use here. But I wish him luck because he's got a very difficult client.
SOARES: Very well. Mr. Shan Wu, thank you very much. Love to speak to you.
WU: Thank you for having me.
SOARES: Now, French president, Emmanuel Macron arrives in U.S. on Monday where the first family begin with a visit to Mount Vernon. The historic
home of America's first president. Mr. Macron for his part wants to mend his eyes on Iran trade, as well as Russia relations. It's a next step and
a bumpy relationship that has been one of Mr. Trump's warmest international friendships. Melissa Bell has more from Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: The strikes may have been carefully coordinated, but the rile that followed was anything but, after the French
president claimed to be driving US policy in Syria.
EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Ten days ago President Trump said the USA's will is to disengage from Syria. We
convinced them. We convinced them that it was necessary to stay.
BELL: It took less than five hours for the White House to respond denying that its policy have changed, a squaring off between two presidents that
began nearly a year ago with a grip that was more arm wrestle than handshake. Last May, two ideologically different political newcomers side
each other up for the first time. The policy clash came only weeks later over climate change when President Donald Trump announced the U.S.
withdrawal from the Paris Accord.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.
BELL: Emmanuel Macron responded turning Trump's campaign slogan against him.
MACRON: Make our planet great again.
BELL: But the sizing up has political differences then gave way in July to an unexpected truce. In Paris, the two presidents met and it appears
actually liked each other.
TRUMP: Oh, I really have the feeling that you're going to have a very, very peaceful and beautiful Paris and I'm coming back. You better do a
good job, please. Otherwise, you're going to make me look very bad.
MACRON: And you're always welcome.
TRUMP: Thank you.
BELL: Progress they said had been made on a number of issues even it seems on climate change.
TRUMP: We discussed a lot of different topics and we briefly hit on the Paris Accord. We'll see what happens.
BELL: After the (INAUDIBLE) of the Bastille Day parade and more exchanges between the two presidents, it was time to say goodbye, which they did with
more warmth than anyone had imagined possible, warmth that has now translated into the first state visit of Donald Trump's presidency.
Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Whether have time for another presidential tit for tat. Still to come tonight, a football legend decides to walk away. We'll look back at
the glittering carrier of Arsenal's longtime manager, Arsene Wenger, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:45:47] SOARES: Now, one of football's most remarkable run has come to an end. Arsene Wenger, the manager of Arsenal football club is stepping
down after more than 21 years in charge. He is the longest serving manager in the English Premier League, but has been under intense pressure in
recent years after poll results. Alex Thomas looks back at his incredible career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX THOMAS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: When Arsene Wenger became manager of Arsenal in 1996, his appointments were seemingly greeted with a
mixture of bafflements and incredulity. One prominent London newspaper's back page headline was "Arsene Who?" A jibe at the Frenchman's apparent
lack of credentials when it came to his less than stellar playing career or the fact that he had no previous experience of English football. But by
the time of his departure from the North London Giants more than two decades later, that question did not need asking. In his 21-year reign at
the club, Wenger transformed the Arsenal both on and off the field, overseeing the move from their iconic hybrid stadium to their plush new
home down the road at the Emirates. He inherited a squad with a mentality of grinding out wins and turn them into a powerhouse. His continental
approach bringing in innovative training and dietary techniques. And instead of an emphasis on British players, Wenger often favored foreign
signings paying relatively low amounts of money for young raw talent. The likes Wenger's fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira brought a
dynamic spine to the side and the results was staggering.
But in two years, Arsenal had won the domestic double, the Premier League and FA Cup which was even more impressive considering they had chased down
Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United to win the league. It was undoubted bad blood between Wenger and Ferguson at times, but eventually that turned
into mutual respect between the managers.
Wenger's trophy hold was also impressive, 17 trophies in total in English football including a further two Premier League titles and seven FA Cups,
but his greatest achievements was his invincible side of 2003-2004 that went the entire league season without losing a single match. A 26
victories and 12 draws will go down in English football folklore with a swash buckling style of play, a delight to watch a fact Wenger has
acknowledged.
ARSENE WENGER, RETIRED ARSENAL FC FOOTBALL MANAGER: I believe football is, first, entertainment. It becomes business when you have to pay people, but
we did not create football because we wanted to create business. We created football because we wanted to have fun. That's why I believe it's
very dangerous always, you know, a job to think it first a business, no. It is first fun, enjoyment, and happiness and you would like to think that
people who come to a game on Saturday at the start would (INAUDIBLE) to that game is the drive for fun for enjoyment.
THOMAS: But not only if the cut not lifted the Premier League since that remarkable season, but an elusive Champions League's title could not be one
either. They reach the final in 2006, even taking the lead against Barcelona, before conceding two late goals. It remains the nearest they've
ever got to lifting that trophy. This season, the gunners did not even compete in the Champions League, but the seconds here Europe League, a
trophy which is still within their reach before the Frenchman departs the club at the end of the season. Some would say that exit is long overdue.
Wenger having already lost much of the club's fan base both supporters demanding he walk away from the club even brandishing banners pleading with
him to leave. Big name players have come and gone, and now, so to as the manager.
[15:50:27] Alex Thomas, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, some will be have soon leave, others will be naturally very upset about it.
Now, let's go check on the historic trial underway in the U.S. and that is of a mega merger of AT&T and CNN's parent company, Time Warner. Now, the
department of justice is trying to block the deal over anti-trust concerns. The defense called its final and perhaps most crucial witness on Thursday
and that's AT&T CEO. Hadas Gold has been following the case day in and day out for us. And she's joins us now from Washington.
Hadas, we've heard from the CEO of AT&T who made this case in front of the judge arguing that this merger -- why this merger was necessary and I
believe he was squeeze in particular by the 2016 note, talk to us about that.
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a really fascinating just day in court, you had such a high profile, high powered CEO, one of the biggest
companies in the United States walking what was likely off of his corporate jet and into a courtroom, into an anti-trust trial and he spent a lot of
time speaking directly to the judge. The judge is the only one who will decide if there's no jury in this case. And one piece of evidence that was
brought in is that you mentioned. It was a handwritten note that Randall Stephenson had written when he was trying to think this personally, as he
said in his home office about what kind of company AT&T could acquire to help them really deal with the future. And when he said the future was --
companies like Netflix and Amazon and Facebook, who not only getting into the content business, but also how you watch that content. And he said
that he recognized that AT&T needed to innovate if they were going to compete the same that AT&T innovated from wires to wireless. When
telephone call became cellphones, that they needed to do the same now. And in those handwritten notes, he specifically wrote down something that is
crucial to this case. He wrote down that he needs to figure out a way to enhance Time Warner's content like CNN to make sure it is widely
distributed, while also helping AT&T's business and AT&T's business like pay TV.
Now, the government has argued that by owning Time Warner, AT&T would be able to unfairly leverage that content, get higher prices from their rival
cable distributor and as a result, consumers would possibly pay more. Now, that note, that handwritten note, before this merger was ever announced,
kind of tried to rebut that argument and says that they recognize, that they weren't going to try to limit Time Warner's comment from anybody,
because as Randall Stephenson said on the stand, when you're a content comedy like a television channel like CNN, you want your stuff to be viewed
by as many people as possible, because that means more advertisements and more advertising revenue. We're now into rebuttal witnesses from the
justice department, but we should see this case wrap before the end of this month and then within a few weeks, the judge will give his ruling.
SOARES: And I'm sure you'll be all over it. Hadas Gold there for us in Washington. Thanks very much, Hadas.
And you are watching Hala Gorani Tonight. We'll have much more after commercial break. Stay right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:55:53] SOARES: Now, the Prince of Wales will succeed his mother, his mother, Queen Elizabeth as head of the Commonwealth. The group's leaders
agreed to support Prince Charles while meeting in London. Now, the role is non-hereditary, so it does not automatically passed onto Prince Charles.
The queen had said it was her sincere wish that his son will follow her in role. British Prime Minister, Theresa May confirmed the news a short time
ago. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Today, we have agreed that the next head of the Commonwealth shall be his Royal Highness, Prince Charles, the
Prince of Wales. His Royal Highness has been a proud supporter of the Commonwealth for more than four decades and has spoken passionately about
the organization's unique diversity. And it is fitting that one day he will one day continue the work of his mother, Her Majesty, the Queen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And from London, we're taking you to Berlin because residence have received good news today, as police announced they had successfully
diffused an unexploded World War II bomb in the city center. Now, you can see the bomb here. It was discovered during construction work near a major
train station, an 800 meter area was evacuated as a precaution causing some pretty -- you can imagine, significant delays on road as well as public
transport. But finding war era bombs is not uncommon in Germany. In fact, hundreds are discovered each year. And the police are well-versed now in
how to deal with them. Look at the size of that thing.
Now, now no one it seems compares to Prince, and Saturday marks the 2nd anniversary of the singers. In memory, Prince's estate released something
special from his vault. The original 1984 recording of his song nothing compares to you. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRINCE: Because nothing compares, no, nothing compares to you.
SOARES (voice-over): Now, the song was made famous (INAUDIBLE) before Prince released a live version on his 1993 hits album. The song featured
in his last ever show. And that does it for us here tonight. Thank you very much for watching. Do stay with CNN, because "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS"
with Richard Quest is coming up next. We are CNN, we of course, the world's news leader.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
