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TMZ Receives New Note Demanding Bitcoin For Nancy Guthrie Info; Bondi And House Democrats Clash Over Epstein Files At DOJ Oversight Hearing; Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led To Shutdown Of El Paso Airport; Bondi Testifies On Capitol Hill Amid Multiple Controversies. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired February 11, 2026 - 13:00   ET

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

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[13:00:28]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Chasing every lead. After releasing video and pictures, officials in Arizona are hunting for new clues and the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. We'll get you an update on that search.

Plus, on the Hill and out of order. Attorney General Pam Bondi facing off with Democrats over the Epstein files in a fiery hearing. How she's addressing the justice department's handling of that investigation.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: And airspace about face a lot of questions about why federal authorities shut down, then reopened the airspace over El Paso. We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN News Central.

SANCHEZ: We start this afternoon with breaking news in the search for Nancy Guthrie. Media outlet TMZ is now reporting that it received a new note via email from someone claiming to know who Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper is. The person reportedly is demanding one bitcoin in exchange for information. Here's what the founder of TMZ is saying.

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HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ FOUNDER: We got kind of a bizarre letter, an email from somebody who says they know who the kidnapper is and that they have tried reaching Savannah's sister, Annie and Savannah's brother to no avail. And they said they want one bitcoin sent to a bitcoin address that we have confirmed is active. It's a real bitcoin address. And as they put it, time is more than relevant.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: One bitcoin is worth about $66,000. Remember, the FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Guthrie's recovery. Just 24 hours have now passed since the FBI shared this doorbell camera video with the public. Officials today are scouring new tips 11 days after Guthrie was last seen. CNN's Josh Campbell is leading us off today. And Josh, I understand you just got brand new information on a search that's underway right now.

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Boris. FBI agents now back out on the streets in Tucson. We're learning from the bureau. I'll read you a statement that they just issued. They say that this morning numerous FBI age are conducting an extensive search along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills area related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation, they asked people to follow all traffic laws, to remain especially cautious when passing law enforcement personnel near the roadways.

Now, as far as what they are actually searching for, a law enforcement source tells me that they're working to determine if any of the items that you see on that person there who was on that doorbell video may have been discarded as this individual left the Guthrie residence after Nancy's disappearance.

And so we're seeing these agents now fan out along the roadways, try to see if they can find any of these items, the mask, the backpack, and the like. Of course, those could provide important clues, including possible DNA information if they're able to be recovered, of course.

SANCHEZ: Josh, what do you make of this new demand for one bitcoin? In this email to TMZ, it seems odd, especially with the context that there have been previous messages that have purportedly been sent to the family regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie that turned out to be illegitimate. How do you read this one?

CAMPBELL: Yes, I don't know. It's hard to say. I mean, I think there's a lot more we need to learn about these purported letters and demands. The unfortunate reality in these high profile cases is sometimes authorities and, you know, the public will be flooded with tips that are actually valid, some that are unrelated to a case, and some that's just pure disinformation. So we have to wait and see. I think caution is probably the watchword here, as it is for law enforcement reinforcement.

So far, authorities haven't indicated that the pass letter that was received by TMZ and some other outlets is even valid. So, you know, the bureau says that they're taking every lead seriously. They will look into it, but I think it's too soon to draw a conclusion about this latest bitcoin revelation.

SANCHEZ: So last night, FBI Director Kash Patel said that persons of interest were being investigated. We saw a man be detained, his home and vehicle searched, and then hours after questioning, he was released. He was asked by a number of outlets why he had been detained. He said he didn't know. Do we have any reporting on what led investigators to this person who was ultimately again, released?

[13:05:04]

CAMPBELL: Well, authorities aren't saying how he actually got onto their radar, but the man was actually interviewed by our colleague Norma Galliana, who he said that he was initially arrested by local law enforcement. And then a couple hours later, the FBI arrived and they started to interview him. They asked him about this Nancy Guthrie kidnapping. And he said, I don't even know what you're talking about. I haven't heard of this. He was arrested south of Tucson, eventually released.

So, again, there is a big question about why authorities were actually looking at him in the first place. As you mentioned, the FBI director did say that there are persons of interest, plural, that the FBI was looking into, working to determine if there's any association with this case. He didn't discuss what may have caused someone to come under suspicion.

But that is notable, the use of the word plural. And, you know, we have to imagine this is all part of this effort that is now going on behind the scenes. You essentially have two parts. You have the FBI appealing to the public with the release of this new video, wanting people to look at that imagery, but a lot of things that they're certainly not going to share, particularly if they are able to positively identify who they think that person is. We expect they would probably work to try to get that person safely into custody before any announcements are made.

But, you know, we're still waiting to see. Obviously, this just horrific case continues. The whereabouts of Nancy Guthrie remain unknown. So the investigation plods ahead.

SANCHEZ: Josh Campbell, thank you so much for that update in the case, Brianna.

KEILAR: And we turn now to the Hill and Attorney General Pam Bondi's contentious hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. Bondi is on the hot seat over DOJ's handling of the Epstein files because of investigations into President Trump's political rivals and for the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents.

At times, the hearing devolving into a shouting match, personal attacks and all.

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REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): You can let her filibuster all day long, but not on our watch, not on our time. No way. And I told you about that Attorney General before you started.

PAM BONDI, ATTORNEY GENERAL: You don't tell me.

RASKIN: No, I did tell you because we saw what you did in the Senate.

BONDI: You're washed up, loser lawyer. Not even a lawyer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: CNN chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid is on the Hill for this hearing. Paula, I think they're having an extended break for votes right now, but we're expecting more of what has been high drama.

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. Yesterday, a Justice Department official, someone who formerly worked in the Department told me that her strategy today should be to take the temperature down, assure lawmakers she's committed to transparency around the Epstein files. But she's taking a completely different approach. She's turning that thermostat all the way up and throwing down with any lawmaker that asks her about the Epstein files.

From the very first question in this hearing, this swiftly devolved into a shouting match as she was asked to directly address Epstein survivors in the room. Now, she did address them in her opening remarks, but when she was pressed by a Democratic lawmaker, here's what happened.

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REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): To the survivors in the room. If you are willing, please stand. And if you are willing, please raise your hands if you have still not been able to meet with this Department of Justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

REID: Now, she has historically done really well in these hearings by remaining composed, sticking to her talking points. It's clear the attorney general has made a decision, though, today to be especially combative because we expect that will play well at the White House, where she needs to restore some goodwill.

Now, there was one, just one, a moment, a bipartisan consensus. When Representative Swalwell talked about threats against lawmakers, that was something where the attorney general agreed they could work together. But anyone coming to this hearing today looking for more information about the Epstein files, about any open investigations, mistakes that were made, will come away despite disappointed.

KEILAR: Yes, they certainly will. And, Paula, the redactions here have been at the heart of so many questions by lawmakers. The fact that a number of men who are facing allegations, maybe not official, I would say official claims of wrongdoing, but there are certainly questions to be asked about their behavior or their inclusion these files there. They have seen their names redacted while a number of victims have had their names and their personal information out there. How has that been a part of the questioning? How has Bondi responded?

REID: It's really interesting because one of the strongest lines of questioning came from Republican Representative Massey, who really pressed Bondi on why victims were not more thoroughly protected in these redactions, why some alleged coconspirators, their names were covered up. Bondi clearly came prepared for these kinds of questions, and at first she tried to answer how quickly some of these mistakes were fixed.

[13:10:06] She also points to the fact that they didn't have a lot of time to do this. But then eventually she pivoted back to lobbying insults and making accusations against the lawmaker. So again, the Justice Department has not been able to put forward a really comprehensive explanation for all of these mistakes that were made in the redaction process.

KEILAR: Yes, I think she called him a quote, failed politician. And that was kind of par for the course with so many people who she didn't feel were on her side. She appeared to show up with little prepared one liner insults for them. Paula, we will let you go. We know there is more for you to cover. Thank you so much.

Still to come, some new details about why the FAA temporarily closed El Paso's airspace. Caused quite a mess and we'll talk about that.

Plus, a brand new jobs report revealing stronger than expected growth. But there is a huge revision that's also buried in the details.

And later, the House is about to vote on a bill that could make it harder for Americans to cast ballots, including married women who have changed their last names. Well, that and much more coming up on CNN News Central.

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KEILAR: All right, we're learning more this hour about a really strange and alarming story. And this is what prompted the FAA to suddenly close all of that airspace over El Paso, Texas. Multiple sources telling CNN this shutdown was prompted by a Pentagon plan to use a high energy counter drone laser without coordinating with the FAA about the potential risks to civilian flights.

The Trump administration earlier claimed the sudden closure was due to a Mexican cartel drone crossing into U.S. airspace. And we should tell you that flights have since resumed. So that is important to note. We're joined now by CNN military analyst, retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton. OK, counter drone laser. What is this thing?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.) CNN MILITARY ANALYST: So one of the things, Brianna, is that is most likely similar to the device that they're talking about here is a device like this. It is a counter drone laser. That is, it could be mounted on a truck. There are other devices where they have microwave and also drone interceptor capabilities that could actually be used to go after individual drones.

So the lasers would catch them in flight. Same with the microwave type devices. But these devices are ones that could potentially either intercept or eliminate a drone.

KEILAR: Like it fries it. I mean, what does it do?

LEIGHTON: It could potentially fry at least the communications aspect of it. It would make it impossible for it to be steered and it would be one of those devices that actually -- would be able to make it useless.

KEILAR: OK, and so what's the risk to civilians?

LEIGHTON: So -- well, let's take a look at, you know, when you look at how this whole thing works, this is the actual alert that they had. So the U.S. government was actually authorized to use deadly force against any aircraft that came into this area right here. This is basically the no fly zone, which includes southeastern New Mexico, El Paso itself, part of Mexico.

So all of this right here would have put civilian air traffic at potential risk partially because of the use of deadly force being authorized in case somebody transited this area without authorization.

KEILAR: You were explaining to me that cross border drone activity is actually not unusual. But this Mexican cartel drone activity that an administration official is telling CNN that had breached U.S. airspace. Talk to us about that.

LEIGHTON: Yes. So one of the things that they do, so we have to keep in mind, when it comes to the cartels, they are very active. All of these are cartel routes right here. And the state of Chihuahua, which is this part right here of Mexico is right by, guess what, El Paso. And this is a major drudge drug transshipment route into the United States.

So, this is where the cartels actually do things. And what they've been doing, especially the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generation cartels, they've actually been testing drones, first person view drones, ones that we see in other places of the world, like the Ukraine war. Those are the kinds of drones that they actually are using.

And they're making these drones available to themselves not only for surveillance purposes, but also potentially as kamikaze drones that would be used to attack a particular target. So they could be used as a weapon against U.S. forces or anybody else that they're interested in going after.

KEILAR: OK, so it makes sense that the U.S. would have an interest in disabling these. But talk to us a little bit about the how this was done, because this is pretty wild that it forced the FAA to close airspace. And I do want to note, this is, I think, really interesting for our viewers that your first military exercise was actually at Biggs Army Airfield, which is right next to El Paso's airport. I mean, it's right there.

LEIGHTON: That's right.

KEILAR: So just talk to us a little bit about how normally they manage kind of this interference.

LEIGHTON: So normally what happens is there's a lot of airspace deconfliction that happens. And when you have an airspace like El Paso, where you have the international airport here, and not far away is a military airfield, in this case, Biggs Army Airfield yet, where my very first military exercise was basically a camping experiment in every single kind of weather in March, that was done right here.

And it can take all kinds of aircraft because it's a long Runway. It takes these kinds of cargo planes that you see. It has drones associated with the drone testing equipment is there, helicopters. All kinds of things are in, coming in and out of Biggs Army Airfield.

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So Biggs Army Airfield is basically a center for this kind of study. And it's also a center for defending U.S. military assets because they're right next to those Mexican cartels as we see on this map right here.

KEILAR: OK, but be honest. Did someone screw this up that there wasn't coordination?

LEIGHTON: Yes, I think so. Because what you're talking about here is there's so many different airspace efforts that go on in a place like this. And it's really incumbent upon the Department of Defense to coordinate with the FAA every that there is any kind of activity, whether it testing stuff or whether they see an actual incursion that could be threatening U.S. forces. And in this particular case, they may have seen something. We don't know the exact details, but what we do know is that they shut things down that cost the airlines a heck of a lot of money.

KEILAR: Yes, I've just never seen anything like this. It's really, really something. Cedric, thanks for taking us through that. We'll be right back.

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SANCHEZ: We want to take you straight to Capitol Hill now, where Attorney General Pam Bondi is being grilled by members of the House Judiciary Committee.

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): First time you talked about him that happened with this Justice Department.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're talking about this committee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, had you answered the question in had the Attorney General answered the question in that way, perhaps this hearing would have some modicum of resembling something that has typically been fairly conventional an oversight hearing of the Department of Justice --

JORDAN: The gentleman's time is expired. The gentlelady from Wyoming is recognized for five minutes.

Attorney General Bondi, I want to express my gratitude to the President, you and your team for your continued efforts against extreme anti energy policies taken by states and cities that serve only to increase costs on the American people.

REP. HARRIET HAGEMAN (R-WY): This is an issue of great concern for Congress as well as the consumers. At the behest of networks of nongovernmental organizations and anti-growth activists, Democratic controlled states and cities are enacting laws and pursuing coordinated lawsuits that would impose retroactive liability on energy producers for past global emissions based on speculative future climate change harms.

The proponents of these plans call them climate superfund laws, but in reality that is simply window dressing for taxes and fees imposed on consumers and businesses that don't even have a presence in these states or communities.

But if you look at the billions of dollars they hope to gain from these efforts, the real goal here is to increase their already mismanaged state budgets by imposing fees on consumers and businesses in energy producing states such as the state of Wyoming. I would describe this as the tobacco litigation on steroids.

Vermont has enacted such a law and another has recently gone into effect in New York. Similar laws are under consideration in a number of other states. Clearly this problem is spreading. Would you agree that Congress has not authorized states to impose retroactive liability against energy producers and lawful carbon emissions?

BONDI: Yes.

HAGEMAN: And would you also agree that protecting consumers is a core part of the DOJ's mission?

BONDI: Absolutely.

HAGEMAN: Would you further agree that combating state policies that seek to hide and shift the true cost of programs like these onto consumers fits within your mission?

BONDI: Yes.

HAGEMAN: So Attorney General Bondi, fossil fuels are the foundation of the U.S. economy and the recent winter storms underscored that gas, coal and oil remain essential to grid reliability and heating our homes. Can you confirm that the DOJ is fully committed to using all available legal tools to stop these state and local level attacks on domestic energy production?

BONDI: Congresswoman, we are committed to that and so is the entire administration. We talked about that.

HAGEMAN: Thank you.

BONDI: Thank you.

HAGEMAN: The President's April 2025 Executive Order directed the DOJ to identify an act against state laws that burden -- burden U.S. energy production. What concrete actions has the DOJ and the administration more broadly taken to carry out this directive?

BONDI: Well, we filed four lawsuits. We are filing multiple lawsuits. Many things are pending within this office to carry that out.

HAGEMAN: OK. States continue to invent new causes of action to pursue state climate lawfare, as is evidenced by my Michigan's recent novel claim related to antitrust violations. The City of Boulder, Colorado has also filed such a lawsuit despite refusing my challenge that they actually forego the use of fossil fuels if they disagree with them so much.

Does the Department of Justice agree that these novel approaches require a federal response, and will the Department pursue such an approach?

BONDI: Yes, Congresswoman. And we'd be happy to talk to you more about that.

HAGEMAN: Wonderful. Thank you. Multiple climate lawsuits. Multiple climate lawsuits are now advancing toward tribal -- trial, even in states that rely on those energy forms to provide heat and electricity for their citizens. In fact, in any community that they all rely upon fossil fuels in some fashion.

Is the Department actively considering intervention to protect federal supremacy over interstate emissions and energy policy?

BONDI: Yes. Would be happy to discuss that with you.

HAGEMAN: Thank you. And clearly this is an area in which Congress has a role to play. To that end, I'm working with my colleagues in both the House and Senate to craft legislation tackling both these state laws and the lawsuits that could destroy energy affordability for consumers.

To that end, are there any authorities or tools that DOJ and the administration don't currently have at their disposal that would be helpful in that effort that Congress could adopt?

[13:30:06]

BONDI: Well, we work with multiple agencies throughout --