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CNN Exclusive: Former Georgia Prosecutor Says He Expects Trump To Face Trial Even If Reelected; Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) Discusses Trump's Meeting With GOP Lawmakers; NYPD Arrests Man With Loaded Gun, Ammo, Axes, Knives In Car. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired June 13, 2024 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00]

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN REPORTER: Again, Sara, the good news right now is the water levels have receded, but with more rain expected throughout the day we expect to see more flooding -- Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: It is so unfortunate as we head into what is known as hurricane season as well, and a bunch of hurricanes forecasted as well for the area. This is not good news and we'll be checking back with you. I know more rain, as you mentioned, is on the way. Thank you so much, Carlos -- Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Chaos breaks out at the congressional baseball game as protesters storm the field. What happened and how many arrests were then made.

And a CNN exclusive with the former Georgia special prosecutor -- the man at the center of the controversy swirling around the Fulton County D.A. and potentially threatening the case against Donald Trump. Why Nathan Wade's team pauses his sit-down with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:35:22[

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, the Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution strongly cautioning members about in vitro fertilization or IV, arguing that surplus frozen embryos often result in destruction of embryonic human life. Now, this language mirrors that Alabama State Supreme Court ruling earlier this year.

The convention did not officially ban female pastors. That is a reversal from a preliminary vote and a lot of people thought they were going to yesterday. Earlier this week, the group expelled a church for having a woman as a pastor for women and children.

This morning, eight climate activists face federal charges after storming the field at last night's congressional baseball game. They were arrested immediately. The group Climate Defiance claimed responsibility. They posted video on X of protesters jumping over a railing. So, something is spicy in the state of Denmark, as they say in Hamlet -- too spicy, apparently. Denmark recalled three kinds of the Buldak Hot Chicken ramen, saying spice levels could poison consumes. The noodle company said this is a first for them. These particular fire noodles apparently launched in 2012. They became a thing on social media. Cardi B testing them, I am told reliably, on TikTok -- Sara.

SIDNER: John, I'm going to get you some.

BERMAN: Please.

SIDNER: I think -- yes, I think you -- I think we should try them.

BERMAN: Please. I just can't eat them in Denmark, so let's just remember that.

SIDNER: That is correct. But we are here in America, and you can have your spicy noodle.

All right. New this morning, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is asking a Georgia appeals court to dismiss Donald Trump's motion to disqualify her from prosecuting the 2020 election interference case against him and his allies in the state of Georgia. This comes as former special prosecutor Nathan Wade speaks exclusively to CNN for the first time since being forced to resign from the case in March for having a romantic relationship with D.A. Willis.

Watch what happens though when Kaitlan Collins asked about the timeline of their relationship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Just to clarify, when did the romantic relationship between the two of you start?

NATHAN WADE, RESIGNED FROM TRUMP GEORGIA CASE OVER RELATIONSHIP WITH FANI WILLIS: Yeah. So, you know, we get into -- there's been this effort to say that, OK, these exact dates are at issue and these exact dates are -- I'm getting -- I'm getting a signal here.

COLLINS: Everything OK?

WADE: Yeah.

COLLINS: Just to revisit the question, it was to clarify when the romantic relationship started and when it ended.

WADE: Sure. So, you know, I believe that the public has -- through the testimony and other interviews, the public has a clear snapshot that this is clearly just a distraction. It is not a relevant issue in this case, and I think that we should be focusing on more of the facts and the indictment in the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Hmm, all right. CNN's Nick Valencia joining us now from Marietta, Georgia. Nick, are

you expecting to hear from Fani Willis today?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Fani Willis has an event scheduled later today where she's going to speak to a wide range of parishioners, congregants, and faith leaders from across the state. She's expected to do that later this morning.

But more on this interview with Nathan Wade. He had a lot to say, Sara, and at times, it was very bizarre. You saw that moment there where his media consultant interrupted the interview, and he didn't appear to answer a very simple question as to when his relationship with Fani Willis began. That's important because it was a fundamental part of the disqualification hearings earlier this year in which defense attorneys alleged it wasn't just the relationship but when it began that Fani Willis was able to financially benefit from that.

But in this interview with CNN, Nathan Wade continued to push back on the claim and also said that the current delay in Trump's criminal case in Georgia has nothing to do, in his eyes, with his relationship with Fani Willis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WADE: Do I believe that my actions caused this delay? No, no, no. I do believe, though, that the timing of a personal relationship that I had was probably bad. It was bad timing. But you don't pick and choose when those things happen. They happen organically and you deal with the situation as it comes.

COLLINS: Do you have regrets about it?

WADE: The only thing I regret is the timing of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:40:00]

VALENCIA: The case is still up in the air with many questioning if this case will even go to trial at all. It's certainly in a -- in a sort of standstill right now. But Nathan Wade says even if Trump wins a second term and is the sitting U.S. president, he believes, in his eyes, this case will go to trial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Do you believe he can be on trial if he's in the White House?

WADE: I do believe that he can. I don't -- I don't believe that it looks good to the rest of the world but certainly, I don't think that there's anything that would prevent that from happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: Now, for today, Fani Willis expected to make that speech to the congregants here in this church behind me at 10:45. You remember, Sara, the last time she did something like this, her speech got politicized with Steve Sadow, Trump's attorney here in Georgia, accusing her of prejudicing potential jurors in this case by, in his words, bringing up the race card.

Fani Willis said that she was being attacked because of her race and that Nathan Wade was being singled out because he was a Black man. A source close to her, though, tells me that she's going to focus more so on local policy issues. Remember, she's up for reelection this year so we should hear more so of a local speech on criminal justice later this morning -- Sara.

SIDNER: Nick Valencia, it was really interesting hearing from Nathan Wade and seeing the reaction there to Kaitlan Collins' question about the timing of all of this. Appreciate you.

VALENCIA: Yeah.

SIDNER: John.

BERMAN: All right. Shortly, Donald Trump will be back on Capitol Hill for the first time since the January 6 insurrection. The Biden campaign is taking the opportunity to remind voters what happened that day and the role that Donald Trump played.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN CAMPAIGN AD: On January 6, Donald Trump lit a fire in this country, stoking the flames of division and hate. Now, he's pouring gasoline --

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They were unbelievable patriots.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN AD: -- pledging to pardon the extremists who tried to overthrow our government. There is nothing more sacred than our democracy, but Donald Trump is ready to burn it all down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, with us now is Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy from Connecticut. Senator, thank you so much for being with us.

Back on January 6, Senator, did you ever think you would see this day? What does it tell you about your colleagues that they're welcoming Donald Trump on Capitol Hill with open arms?

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): Well, it's absolutely extraordinary that we have a major party presidential candidate who is so openly endorsing the use of violence in our politics. His advertisement that if he's elected that he will pardon the individuals who tried to violently overthrow our government is, of course, just an invitation for people to do the same thing again.

And so, I am deeply worried about violence as we head into this fall's election. I'm worried about what happens of Joe Biden wins the election -- whether we will see mass-scale violence that makes January 6 look like child's play.

I don't know why we just don't take Donald Trump at his word. He's said that he's going to use dictatorial powers on day one. He has shown a cavalierness about democracy. He's shown an endorsement for violence. And I just -- it's sick.

I'm thinking about my Republican colleagues in the Senate, many of whom I consider to be friends. Many of whom I know to support American democracy watching them get behind this candidate that they know to be a danger to American democracy.

BERMAN: Hunter Biden was convicted of federal gun charges this week. And Republicans -- some Republicans have had interesting responses to that, particularly ones who had criticized the justice system as biased beforehand.

But there was one that I just saw on Twitter -- like, seconds ago as I was coming out to do this interview -- from your colleague Sen. Ted Cruz, who wrote, "The Biden White House wanted Hunter Biden to be found guilty on the gun charges since they are the only ones that do not implicate Joe Biden."

I just want your reaction to Sen. Cruz.

MURPHY: I mean, I generally don't respond to Ted Cruz, who really is only looking to get clicks online and drive donations to his web page.

The reality is that Republicans' sort of brazen decision to endorse the justice system's decision-making when it convicts a Democrat, like the president's son, and decision to call the system rigged when it convicts a Republican, like the former president, is a real worrying advertisement from Republicans that they are planning to potentially use the justice system as a mechanism to target Trump's political opponents.

Listen, I accept the jury's decision with respect to Hunter Biden. I accept the jury's decision as it -- as it is respected to Donald Trump. But Republicans seem to only believe the justice system is working right when it convicts Democrats and believe that it's illegitimate when it convicts Republicans. And that, to me, is a signal that they may be very open to using the justice system as a political tool to persecute opponents if they get power again.

[07:45:21]

BERMAN: Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the Middle East yesterday, basically said that Hamas seems to be moving the goal post when it comes to ceasefire and hostage talks, and they come back with new demands even on things that they agreed to before.

You've been critical at times of how Israel is conducting this war in Gaza. So, what can Israel do? What can the United States do if Hamas doesn't want peace?

MURPHY: Well, I think it's pretty clear that Hamas doesn't want peace. And I think it's -- even for those of us who have been critical of Israel's military occupation, I think it is worth repeating over and over again that this all started because of Hamas' brutal terrorist attack on October 7 and Hamas has had the ability throughout this conflict to be able to save lives inside Gaza by surrendering. Hamas does not care about the people of Gaza. That is just plainly true.

All that being said, if your goal, as Israel says, is to defeat Hamas and to decrease the likelihood that a terrorist group -- Hamas or another terrorist group is going to be able to attack Israel in the future, I just don't think the conduct of this war is effectuating your war aim.

Ultimately, the number of civilians being killed in Rafah right now, in Gaza throughout this conflict -- it becomes bulletin board recruiting material for Hamas or other non-state actors that are going to replace Hamas.

Just like what happened to the United States in Afghanistan, this war, in the end, may make the threat to Israel more serious. That's why I have counseled Israel to pause these military operations and to prioritize humanitarian relief. I actually think that is the best way ultimately to try to decrease the threat that Hamas or any other organization poses to Israel in the future.

BERMAN: Finally, Senator, there was a high school graduation in Newtown, Connecticut yesterday, which was your old congressional district when you were in the House from that district the day of the Sandy Hook massacre. There were graduates who were in first grade that day and they had 20 of their classmates killed before their eyes and six staffers as well.

I just want you to reflect on this moment as these high school seniors move on.

MURPHY: Yeah. I was at Sandy Hook that day in 2012. I was at the firehouse with the parents as they found out that their first graders were lying dead on that classroom. There just isn't a day where I don't regret the things that I saw and heard that day.

It seems like yesterday to me. And so, to think that yesterday was actually the day that those kids should have been graduating from college (sic), it's just stunning. It's heartbreaking. It's shocking.

There were 20 kids that should have graduated high school yesterday, but there were hundreds of others that did graduate in Newtown, Connecticut. Kids that have been living with the trauma of listening to those gunshots and perhaps of stepping over their dead classmates' bodies.

And what those kids have done over the course of the last decade and a half is really extraordinary. Many of them have become part of the anti-gun violence movement. Many of them just played small roles in trying to help their classmates recover. Many of them took part in charity activities -- charities that were started by the parents of those kids who died in Sandy Hook Elementary School. There are hundreds of heroes who have grown up to be really amazing

young adults in Newtown who lived through that experience in Sandy Hook.

And so, I grieve for the 20 kids that should have been graduating yesterday, but I also really celebrate some amazing young men and women who survived and who have done some amazing things to heal over the course of the last -- you know, last decade and a half.

BERMAN: Hundreds of heroes. That's a nice way of looking at it.

Sen. Chris Murphy, thank you for being with us this morning. I appreciate it -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us, the Celtics seem like they can smell victory at this point, one win away now from an NBA record 18th title.

And a shocking find. The NYPD pulls over a driver and finds a stockpile of weapons in his car.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:53:55]

BERMAN: All right. The Boston Celtics now just one win away from the NBA Championship.

CNN's Andy Scholes is with us. Andy, how are you? I'm pretty good.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I bet you are, John, because this series is wrapped. Teams that go up 3-0 in a best-of-seven series 156- 0 all-time in the NBA. So unless the Mavs are going to make some serious history here, the Celtics will be NBA champions.

Now, the league -- they did hold a moment of silence before game three last night in order to honor the great Jerry West who passed away yesterday at the age of 86.

And we'll pick up this game in the third quarter because that's when the Celtics -- they just went on a massive run. Jaylen Brown -- watch this -- throws down the monster slam. Brown and Jayson Tatum -- they actually outscored Dallas themselves in the third. They would take a 21-point lead.

But the Mavs, to their credit -- they came all the way back in the fourth. They went on a 22-2 run to get within one.

But with a little over four to go, watch this play here -- it was very important. Luka guarding Brown and gets called for the foul. That was his sixth. The first time every he's fouled out of a playoff game.

[07:55:03]

The Mavs tried to hang tough without Luka, but Brown here -- the clutch jumper -- put Boston up four with a minute to go. Brown and Tatum combined for 61. The Celtics would win 106-99 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAYLEN BROWN, GUARD, BOSTON CELTICS: It's awesome. I mean, I can't -- I don't even really have words. It kind of doesn't even feel real right now and I'm just trying to stay in the moment. Like, you know, it feels -- it feels great to be up 3-0 in the series but, like, the job is not done.

LUKA DONCIC, GUARD, DALLAS MAVERICKS: I don't want to say nothing but, you know, but six fall in the NBA Finals, I'm basically -- I'm like this --

BROWN: Come on, Man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yeah, the Celtics can now go for the sweep tomorrow night in game four there in Dallas. And I will say, John, your five-year-long painful wait for another championship for Boston -- it's almost over. You haven't had a title since 2019. That's a long time for you.

BERMAN: That's right. The long national nightmare might finally be over.

Andy Scholes, thank you for all of this, this morning. I do appreciate it.

I will note what does happen when you make Luka Doncic play defense. It becomes a bit of a problem.

One hundred rounds of ammunition, a loaded gun, and heavy body armor -- that is some of what the NYPD found inside a car during a traffic stop, and now it has sparked a bigger investigation.

CNN's Polo Sandoval has much more on this. What's going on, Polo?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John, good morning.

It was just last night that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reacted to this case, calling the nature of the allegations unacceptable and also reminding us that the Joint Terrorism Task Force is working with the NYPD to try to establish a motive. Now, we should be clear, thus far, they have not confirmed any actual link to terror here but they're certainly considering all options here given what they found.

This all started yesterday morning, John, when NYPD officers pulled over the driver of a black SUV. They searched the vehicle and inside -- well, you can see for yourself what they actually found. A 9mm Glock pistol, about eight magazines that were fully loaded with 9mm ammunition, handcuffs, NYPD uniform items is how they described it. And again, you'll see some of the -- some of those items in just a few moments here. They also found a stun gun, an expandable baton, and the list does goes on. I also want you to hear from one of the New York Police officials who say that they make weapons seizures every day, but this one is certainly extraordinary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF JEFFREY MADDREY, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT: An obstructed plate turned into an arrest for a person that is heavily armed -- gun, knives, weapons. Very dangerous for our community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Judd Sanson is the man in his late 20s that the police are speaking to right now. CNN working to identify an attorney right now. Again, they have not been able to confirm any actual link to terror but they're certainly pouring all their resources, guys, to try to learn a little bit more about the man and a motive if they learn that there actually was one.

BERMAN: All right, Polo Sandoval. Thanks so much for that -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Joining me now to discuss is CNN senior national security analyst, Juliette Kayyem. It's always a pleasure to talk to you. One of the smartest people on this subject.

I do want to talk to you a little bit about what the police said that they found. And what stood out to me was the NYC transit vest, along with all of these guns, ammunition, and a stun gun.

When you hear all the details of this, what does it tell you about the suspect?

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURTY (via Webex by Cisco): Well, it tells me that the magnitude of the ammunition, the type of uniforms, the type of paraphernalia, which is sort of to mimic law enforcement. It wasn't just NYPD; it was also transit. So you have a subway concern.

And the fact that he had them all in one place and in transit means to things. One is the NYPD did a great job. I mean, there's just no question about it. Someone transiting with these kinds of materials is unlikely just doing it for storage. That there was probably an attack planned or imminent and that's why he had it in his car. Assuming -- if he -- if he has a home, they'll be checking out that as well.

The second is just this increased threat environment that we're in. Again, we don't know his motive. I will say in one of the press conferences or press releases there was a discussion of writings. That seemed to me to be a clue that they have some sense of what the motive could be. They're his writings and so we'll find out what his intent may have been.

The third is just this threat environment that we're in overall. As we know, 2024 has a lot going on and it -- and we will find out the true motive. I think the connection to law enforcement, or it was an attempt to mimic law enforcement can be quite scary and just goes to the increased vigilance that we need in this period that the FBI director says we all need to be vigilant.

SIDNER: Yeah, and there was another incident in Arizona where someone was arrested who was targeting Black people.