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Suspect Taken Into Custody Following an Attack at L.A. Mayor's Residence; Supreme Court to Rule Whether to Criminalize Homelessness; 2024 U.S. General Election; Vice President Harris Assumes Pivotal Position in Biden Reelection Campaign; Trump Heading Down to Lower Manhattan Where Opening Statements Are Set to Begin; Multi-Plane Near Miss at JFK Being Investigated by FAA; Liz Cheney: Supreme Court Should Rule Swiftly on Trump Immunity Claim. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired April 22, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: All right. We're looking at live pictures right here outside of Trump Tower, standing by for Donald Trump to leave any moment now, leaving his apartment building -- leaving his apartment, and then heading down to lower Manhattan where opening statements are set to begin in his first criminal trial. And those are set to begin next hour. This is a very big day for Donald Trump. CNN will have special live coverage of the trial throughout the day.

President Biden, he is marking Earth Day today by announcing $7 billion of new funding for renewable energy projects. The grant is to be used to help push more solar power to low income and disadvantaged communities. Biden's also expected to announce some new steps for his American Climate Corps program, a green jobs training program targeting younger people. And according to the White House, eventually the Corps will employ more than 20,000 young people.

There's a new study out. Shedding some light on why it seems gastric bypass surgery and popular weight loss drugs, like Wegovy, can better help people avoid hitting those weight loss plateaus than just cutting calories. What researchers found was that when you begin losing weight from cutting calories or burning calories, your appetite kicks in to tell you to eat more. The study finds that surgery and these weight loss drugs actually delay that response for up to a year longer and even when you hit the weight loss plateaus, you crave fewer calories.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: All right. This morning, police are trying to figure out if a break-in at the home of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was random or targeted. She was home when the suspect smashed a window to get inside.

CNN's Josh Campbell, in Los Angeles this morning with the latest. Josh, what are you learning? JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John. As you mentioned, right now, it's unclear whether this was a home that was directly targeted or whether this was possibly a random burglary in the neighborhood. Unlike a lot of chief executive residences around the country, the official home of the Los Angeles mayor isn't some fortified fortress.

And so, you know, obviously, that raising concern someone was able to make their way inside. I'll read you a statement yesterday from LAPD. They indicated that around 6:40 a.m. this morning, an individual smashed a window to gain entry into the Getty house while it was occupied. Los Angeles Police Department responded, took a suspect into custody without incident. There were no injuries to the occupants during this incident. It remains under investigation.

Now, as you mentioned, Bass was home at the time along with their family. But again, no injuries. We're told that a 29-year-old man was taken into custody. He was a resident of Los Angeles. Of course, whenever you hear something like this, a prominent home of an elected official being broken into, a lot of us quickly, you know, went back to October of 2022 when the home of Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was broken into by that man who obviously assaulted her husband and was taken into custody and was finally charged.

Again, too soon to determine if, you know, that was any type of motive here that, you know, the mayor was actually specifically targeted. But certainly, you know, this raising concerns. I'm told that as of last night, a law enforcement official said that authorities were working to obtain search warrants for digital devices used by the suspect. Again, John, all to try to get to that motive.

BERMAN: And this is not the first time that Karen Bass has been the victim of a home break in?

CAMPBELL: No, that's right. Back in 2022, whenever she was a U.S. Representative who was running for mayor, her home was burglarized. Two firearms were stolen. Take a listen. This is how she described that experience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR KAREN BASS (D-CA): I got home and saw my house was burglarized, and that was shocking and traumatic. I have to say that my safety was shattered. And like many Angelenos understand that one of the most important issues in our city is for Los Angeles to be safe. And the number one job of the mayor is to keep the city safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL: Now, the two suspects in that case pleaded no contest to burglary and grand theft. Again, we're waiting to see what charges will be brought against this new suspect in yesterday's incident. We're told according -- at least, according to court records, he's currently being held, John, on $100,000 bond.

BERMAN: All right. Josh Campbell for us in Los Angeles this morning. Keep us posted Josh. Thank you.

Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: All right. This morning, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that is seen as the most significant case on the homelessness issue in decades. The debate is over whether it is cruel and unusual punishment to find or arrest people sleeping outside when shelter space is so scarce. This is all happening as homeless levels are reaching record levels in the United States.

CNN's Nick Watt is joining us now. Nick, this is a really significant case. It could have far-reaching implications for how cities deal with their homeless, correct?

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That is absolutely right, Sara. And the crux here is, can you criminalize homelessness? Can you make it a crime to be destitute? Humans, we all need to sleep.

[08:35:00]

And the issue here is places like Grants Pass where is -- which is the focus of this case, they don't have enough shelter beds. In fact, they have only got one shelter. It's a religious shelter. And there are very high bars to get in. So, people are saying, I have no choice but to sleep on the street.

But, a few years ago, the city started cracking down. Started fining people. And three people filed a lawsuit, and this has now ended up at the Supreme Court. Because it's a big issue, way beyond Grants Pass, this picturesque little town of 40,000 people and 200 unhoused people. Los Angeles, San Francisco, California, they have all filed amicus briefs, because, you know, in L.A. we've got 45,000 unhoused people.

But the criticism here is that there's a bit of NIMBYism, you know, not in my backyard. And there's one quote from a city councilor in Grants Pass that's probably about 10 years ago that's really coming back to haunt them, and the quote is this, "The point is to make it uncomfortable enough in our city so they will want to move on down the road."

So, the criticism here is that this isn't going to solve the problem. It just moves the problem. But then, of course, you have the other side of the argument. In Grants Pass, people, young families, also have a right to use the park. And they don't want to use the park because they are scared if there's a homeless encampment.

The other issue here is it doesn't really get to the root causes of homelessness or the actual solutions of creating more houses. But it is going to be a massive impact on how cities across the West and across the country, deal with this. Are they allowed to ticket people for sleeping on the sidewalk or are they not? Sarah.

SIDNER: Yes, this is a huge issue, especially where you live in Los Angeles. You've done a lot of great stories on the homeless issue there. There's a fear with drug use and all sorts of other things. A danger to the public. On the other hand, where are people supposed to go? Lots to discuss and I know you'll be watching this case. Nick Watt, great report. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right. I think we're going to look right now. This is Donald Trump leaving Trump Tower. He's getting ready to -- yes, leaving right there. He's going to get in that SUV and he's going to take what is now becoming a very familiar drive down to lower Manhattan to head back into court this Monday.

A very big day in court for the president and for this entire historic first criminal case against him, which is opening statements from prosecutors and his defense team as they are going to begin laying out what they see are the facts of the case. And then quickly after that, this trial gets into full swing now that we saw last week the bumpy road to getting a full jury seated. Let's see if we hear from the former president before he heads in, but he's headed down to court right now.

We're all -- also focused here right now from the border crisis to abortion. Vice President Kamala Harris has gone from standing in the background to front and center, becoming the front and center leading voice on some of President Biden's top campaign issues.

It comes as the campaign is acknowledging that there is a group of Democratic voters who are turned off by President Biden. And Harris is becoming key to their strategy to keep him on board. This is new reporting from CNN's Isaac Dovere. Let me bring in Isaac right now. Isaac, tell us more about what you've learned.

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Hi, Kate. Well, look, I have spent a lot of time on the campaign trail with president and the vice president. You can see what is going on now that on a number of key issues, abortion probably top of the list, but also things like student loans, gun control, legalizing marijuana. Things that Democratic voters want to hear from and pumping up that enthusiasm and the need from the base.

They are seeing that people want to hear more from Kamala Harris on that than they have been. We are all pretty familiar, as is everybody on her staff, with that -- what a rocky start she had on the job. But in being out with her, I was in Arizona and Nevada with her, you can see in those battleground states and overall, a looser, more energetic, more ready to go kind of approach to her. She is talking about prosecuting the case, being the prosecutor out there. Taking a part to the arguments.

And look, I, I said to her, we sat down in an exclusive interview in Las Vegas. I said, what about whoever Trump picks as his running mate, what do you think about that person? She said to me -- and I think a pretty good mark of where her mind is these days, I'm ready for whoever has the fill in the blanks to do it.

BOLDUAN: That's one way to put it. Let's see where this goes from here. It's good to see you, Isaac. Great reporting as always. John.

DOVERE: Thank you.

BERMAN: Trying to figure out the fill in the blank there.

BOLDUAN: You get to choose.

BERMAN: You are good with that.

BOLDUAN: It's a choose your own adventure.

BERMAN: All right. Thank you very much.

With us now, CNN Political Commentator S.E. Cupp, and Democratic strategist and consultant, Simon Rosenberg. Friends, we just saw Donald Trump leave Trump Tower for the Manhattan courthouse for opening statements in his criminal trial.

I mean, this is a historic moment. But from a political perspective, S. E., what role do you, or, fairly do you not think this is playing in the election right now?

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S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, and that's an excellent way to put it because what I don't think this is doing is capturing the attention of most voters. You know, we're following this because it's important. This is the guy running for president who's about to go on trial. It's important, but I don't think most voters are following the tick tock of these cases that closely.

On the other side, I think this is incredibly important for his election and his base. They want to see this. He doesn't want to be out talking about policy. He wants to be at these courthouses, making these speeches afterward. Playing the victim. And telling his voters, look, they are after me just like I told you.

BERMAN: So, you know, Simon, to that point, the conventional wisdom in the primaries was that these cases helped Donald Trump. Once he was prosecuted or the charges were filed here in Manhattan, his poll numbers actually started going up. But is that still the case at this point? I mean, does it still help him to be in a courtroom facing this charge today?

SIMON ROSENBERG, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST AND CONSULTANT: No. You know, I don't think that he can make the case, or I don't think it's going to be true that months and months and months of his criminality, his misdeeds being thrown in front of the American people day after day after day, that there's any universe where that's going to be helpful to him, in my view.

And I think you're seeing that Donald Trump is having a really, truly terrible month right now. I mean, not only, as you mentioned, that new Marist Poll is the best Biden poll that he's had this year. But the abortion extremism of the Republican Party was exposed. They're struggling to raise money, right? You have the court cases now. You had Trump getting rebuked by his own party over the weekend on Russia and Ukraine.

I mean, this has been a really bad month for Donald Trump. And I don't think another week, particularly, I think today is going to be a big day. These opening statements are going to lay out the case that the prosecutors have against him. And I think this is going to be a really tough week for him.

BERMAN: Simon, you quoted the Marist Poll, I know from reading interviews with you, including on April 3rd, 2024 in "The New York Times" --

ROSENBERG: Yes.

BERMAN: -- that you don't, you know, take polling that seriously. I think it's centering your understanding of this election around Biden's approval rating around public polling is risky business. Is that no longer operative here?

ROSENBERG: No, it's risky. It's just one bit of -- John, it's one bit of data that we have. But the truth is what we know now from dozens of polls, right? What they are telling us is the election is getting much bluer and better for the Democrats. And we have to acknowledge trends when they happen.

I mean, if a team scores a lot of baskets, scores a lot of points, you know, that matters in the game. We're scoring a lot of points right now. And I feel good about where we are.

BERMAN: Because you put it in sports terms, now I understand it.

S.E., if you buy Simon's argument that Trump has had a bad month and Biden has had a good month, why?

CUPP: Yes, I think it's because of the abortion issue. That's been really in the news and crystallizing the argument that the Republicans want these regressive, anti-woman, anti-abortion bills that are not even popular among a majority of Republicans. And so, I think you have people really seeing, in evidence, not just the threat that Republicans will push this to extreme, but in actuality that they are and want to continue to.

And they're not seeing, a lot of hope coming up. They're just seeing more doom and gloom with these, sort of, bills and court cases on the horizon. I think that's been the leading factor in why those polls are tightening up.

BERMAN: You know, Simon brought up something else. Over the weekend, obviously, the U.S. House passed aid to Ukraine, among other things. Punchbowl's big headline this morning was basically Biden is winning this Congress. And they went on to say, you know, in the end, Biden has emerged as the big winner on government funding, on FISA, and now on Ukraine and Israel. Biden got what he wanted, with this Congress.

CUPP: Look, if you're trying to make the argument -- if you're Mike Johnson, you're trying to make the argument that look, we might not like everything we have to do, but we have to work together. These kinds of headlines are not helpful, right? They're really pointing out. Yes, you are giving Biden exactly what he wanted, which is the argument Marjorie Taylor Greene and other far right members of the House are making.

But this is the job. It is the job to work together. It's as much a win for Mike Johnson as it is for Joe Biden.

BERMAN: Simon, last word?

ROSENBERG: Yes, look, Joe Biden is a good president, and he's had a very good few weeks. And Donald Trump is having a terrible April and I think Democrats are feeling good about where we are right now. We got a long way to go, John, as you know, but I'll take things where they are today.

BERMAN: Nothing makes Democrats more nervous than a statement like Democrats are feeling good. Simon Rosenberg, S.E. Cupp, our thanks to both of you. I really appreciate it.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Live pictures here just outside court. You can see the huge police presence there as Donald Trump is already making his way to court today. A big day. The jury will hear exactly what prosecutors intend to prove with opening statements in his historic criminal trial.

[08:45:00]

And a scary close call on the runway again. Four planes were cleared to cross the path of a jet that was about to take off. The FAA now investigating. We'll have details for you coming up.

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SIDNER: OK. Giving you another look at live pictures, Donald Trump headed to court in New York. He is going to arrive any moment now. Huge police presence out there, as you might imagine. Today, important because it is opening statements today in his criminal trial, which will begin in just the next few minutes here.

All right. The FAA investigating a frighteningly close call involving multiple planes at JFK International Airport in New York, Wednesday. A Swiss Airlines flight suddenly aborted takeoff because the pilot was paying attention because four other planes were crossing the same runway at the same time.

Air traffic control recordings show the Swiss Airlines flight was cleared for takeoff by one air traffic controller, while another controller instructed the four planes to taxi across the same runway. You're looking at that simulation there.

[08:50:00] Joining me now is CNN Safety Analyst and Former FAA Safety Inspector David Soucie. First of all, how does this happen? And it's not the first time there was another incident at another airport this week. How does something like this take place?

DAVID SOUCIE, CNN SAFETY ANALYST AND FORMER FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR: No, Sara. This is the one that we mentioned at JFK as the cardinal sin rule where two different controllers are controlling what goes on to that airport. That should never happen. It should not have happened. And I think it's indicative of some of this problem that we've been having with fatigue with controllers.

And I think it's very fortunate, like you said, that those pilots were on their game because when they looked out and they saw traffic on the runway, they aborted their takeoff. There are multiple tiers to make sure that this is safe and that these aren't actually collisions. But there's a bigger underlying problem that the FAA is looking at very closely.

SIDNER: Yes, there was an investigation, I think from January, where there was, you know, a close call as well at JFK. I do want to ask you whether or not you think this is a consequence of seeing and hearing about these things more often, or if indeed these close calls are actually happening more often.

SOUCIE: I think, Sara, that they are happening more often. We are covering them more closely. It's under the microscope. However, the seriousness of what's being found is what bothers me most. Not necessarily the number of occurrences, but the fact that why they're occurring. And I think that speaks to this report that just came out a few days ago that I'm still looking at and speaking with the members of the committee on it.

But basically, they're looking at the fatigue of the air traffic controllers. Their work schedules. Their circadian rhythms. How they're sleeping. How they're not sleeping. Do they have the ability to call up and say -- raise the white flag and say, I'm just too tired to do this. All of those things are being looked at by the FAA. And this report just came out, about three days ago, the special report that the administrator prescribed.

SIDNER: Yes, when you look at it, I mean, it's one of the most stressful jobs on Earth what they do every day, but it is so paramount to the safety of the flight crew and passengers. I do want to ask you about, sort of, this -- the flying public and safety.

We've got all these stories about Boeing, including that door plug blowing off and a tire falling off, you know, and dozens of passengers hurt during what the airline described as a technical incident in one case. The CEO of Boeing resigning.

When you take all of these incidents, including what is happening, you know, at airports, as a whole, is flying becoming less safe or should people be concerned about it in general?

SOUCIE: You know, that's a great question. It's almost impossible to answer because of the fact that if I say what everyone says, which is, it's still the safest mode of transportation and it is, it makes it sound like I'm minimizing these problems. These are problems. They need to be addressed, but it is related to the increased amount of traffic.

The system itself is being overloaded. It's on the brink. I don't think, at this point, there's any concern for the flying public. I'm still flying. I'm -- my family is still flying. I don't see that there's any immediate concern. Anything we can do is the flying public. However, it's important to remind yourself as you fly, there are inherent risks in flying completely.

However, make that risk yourself. Make that decision yourself. I can't convince you that it's safe or not, but I feel that it is safe. And I've got a lot of years, 35 years in this industry now trying to figure out how to make it safer. And I still believe, even with all these things we're looking at, it's a matter of -- it's still the safest mode of transportation.

SIDNER: All right. David Soucie, it's always a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you for your expertise, appreciate it.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: This Thursday in what will be their final oral argument for the 2023 -- '24 term, the US Supreme Court will hear the case that gets at the heart of the federal charges against Donald Trump. Is he immune from prosecution for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election?

Also, in a new op-ed for "The New York Times," Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney is laying out her case there. Giving a stark warning for the high court, resolve the issue of presidential immunity quickly and get this case to trial or there will be a, "Profoundly negative impact on the country."

CNN's Senior Supreme Court Analyst Joan Biskupic joins us now for more on what is sure to be a huge day for the high court. Remind everyone, Joan, what the question is before the justices here.

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN SENIOR SUPREME COURT ANALYST: That's right, and good to see you this morning, Kate. Yes, with all attention on Manhattan, just in a matter of days, it will all be down here in Washington on the Supreme Court that's going to decide whether the federal government's case against Donald Trump for election subversion, Special Counsel Jack Smith has brought four counts against him involving fraud, obstruction, denial of the right to vote.

All culminating in what happened on January 6th, 2021 at the Capitol. The precise question for the justices is whether a former president is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution for acts that he took while in office?

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Now, Kate, lower federal courts said, no. Former President Donald Trump must stand trial, whatever presidential immunity he might have enjoyed while president dissolved once he left office. The president is making a pretty audacious claim here, and -- but it has been effective to this point because getting to what Former Congresswoman Lynn Cheney said -- Liz Cheney, pardon me, Liz Cheney said about delay and no chance of a trial before the election.

The justices were asked by Special Counsel Smith to take this case up in December, and they waited, slowed it down a bit, it's still on somewhat of a faster schedule than a normal case. But comments are quite pointed given that when they hear oral arguments in April, it tends to mean they don't resolve it until the end of June. And you know, Kate, we'll be right up against the conventions and then soon to the November election.

BOLDUAN: And also, given what we know of the makeup of the court, who has the tougher hill to climb, do you think?

BISKUPIC: That's a good question, and it really is Former President Donald Trump, because what he's asking for is absolute immunity with no exceptions. In the past, the Supreme Court has said that a president could be -- a former president could be shielded from a civil proceeding, but not the weightier instance of a criminal proceeding.

And one thing that Special Counsel Jack Smith points to is the 1974 pardon by Gerald Ford of Richard Nixon after Watergate. And he said the reason the president pardoned him, President Ford pardoned him, and what everyone accepted at the time was that Richard Nixon would have been subject to criminal prosecution for what went on during Watergate. And he said that that instance is part of a long history in America. Of an understanding that former presidents could be prosecuted criminally.

So, it is really Donald Trump who's trying to break that norm. But, you know, we'll have to see what kinds of questions the justices have on Thursday, Kate. It will be a very consequential ruling when it eventually comes. Kate.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely, Joan. Thank you so much. Very -- thank you very much.

BISKUPIC: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: John.

BERMAN: All right. We are minutes away from opening statements in the New York criminal case against Donald Trump. This is a history making moment.

With us now, former Manhattan prosecutor Jeremy Saland. So, take me behind the scenes right now. Prosecutors, really, minutes away from delivering their opening statements. What are they doing right now?

JEREMY SALAND, FORMER MANHATTAN PROSECUTOR: They've done this front and back. There's been mock cross-examinations. They've practiced their opening. They're ready for whatever may be coming their way. They know their answers before the questions are even asked. They're prepared. They're ready to go.

And this goes It's not just for the prosecution. This goes for the defense, though it's a little bit more difficult on one side than the other since the prosecution is the one laying out the case and it's their direct.

So, they're really prepared. They've looked in that mirror. They've done it in front of their colleagues. They've cross-examined their witnesses. David Pecker is ready to go. Absolutely. So is Michael Cohen. So is Stormy Daniels. So is all of them.

BERMAN: We learned -- our Katelyn Polantz who's down reporting outside the courthouse all morning long, she has sources inside the defense that tell her it's going to be short. That when they give their opening statement, rather this morning, they're going to come out and they're not going to talk for a very long time. They're going to talk briefly about the case, about the witnesses, what they see is wrong with the witnesses, and they're going to sit down and let it go.

SALAND: This is the persecution of Donald Trump. He wasn't involved in this. Let the prosecution meet that burden. It's not the defense's burden to tell that story line and defend themselves out of the gate. It's their burden, the prosecution. And as things cross-examine and as things evolve, we'll get there. But let the prosecution have at it.

BERMAN: If you are the prosecution in this case, or in any case, what do you need to achieve in your opening statements?

SALAND: You have to lay out that this all happened in Manhattan. Lay out the crime. Tell that narrative. You don't have to go through every witness, every piece of evidence, but give the overall story. And they will do that. They will do that. This is pretty straightforward despite the salaciousness of it.

BERMAN: How do -- how much do you think they address the fact that that is Donald J. Trump, former president of the United States sitting there?

SALAND: Well, it's important. I mean, he's central to this because why? it's about, you know, involving the election and trying to circumvent the election. So, it's very critical. It's about Trump's actions. But they have to, again, break it down to the four corners of that indictment. The four corners of that courtroom. This is just a falsifying business record case, even to have -- even if it has great implications.

BERMAN: Why -- there is reporting that they want to make this more about than just hush money. It's getting in the way of an election, election interference.

SALAND: Absolutely.

BERMAN: Why is that important.

SALAND: Because if it's about hush money, that's not an illegal offense. Hush money is not a crime. Falsifying business records, trying to challenge and overturn or impact an election, that's also the crime. That pumps it to the felony.

BERMAN: All right. Jeremy Saland, Former Manhattan Prosecutor, thank you so much for being with us. What we're about to see truly is history.

SIDNER: And with the magic of television, we are right next to you as we wait for this case to begin. Thank you so much for joining us. Special coverage of the opening statements from the Donald Trump hush money trial, starts right now.

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