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Father of School Shooter Sentenced; Lindsay Clancy Trial Continues; Stocks Recover; New Strikes on Iran; Todd Blanche Nomination in Danger?. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired July 30, 2026 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:02]

MARIANNA SOTOMAYOR, CAPITOL HILL CORRESPONDENT, PUCK: They're kind of waiting to see who blinks first. And you're getting really close to the general election, right, to post-Labor Day. So, if he could come in with a lot of money, I'm sure Republicans will happily take it, even though they have an edge.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: And Trump could hold onto his money and not spend it And that is what we've always been wondering. It's the question of this midterm.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, BLOOMBERG: Yes, I think that's what he's going to do.

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: All right, everybody, thanks for rocking and rolling today on INSIDE POLITICS.

Thank you for joining us here. "CNN NEWS CENTRAL" starts right now.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Pick in peril. The president says he's open to temporarily withdrawing Todd Blanche as his nominee for attorney general amid resistance from a pair of Republican senators. We will break down what happens next.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Plus: a widening war, the U.S. military launching a heavy wave of strikes against Iran, as more countries get pulled into the conflict.

And an unprecedented sentencing, Colin Gray learning his fate after becoming the first person ever to be convicted of a murder charge in a school shooting committed by their child.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

KEILAR: President Trump is reacting after the Senate Judiciary Committee was forced to postpone a vote to advance the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The delay comes as outgoing Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis withhold their support for the president's pick.

Trump posted on TRUTH Social -- quote -- "I'd have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd's name if they do not do the right thing and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office."

The two Republican senators are not backing down from key demands for written assurances from the Department of Justice that the Trump administration's $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund is officially dead. And they also want clarification in writing on this deal that would give the Trump family immunity from IRS tax audits.

CNN's Lauren Fox is live on Capitol Hill.

Lauren, what are you hearing there?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is clear this morning that there isn't any significant progress that is going to change the dynamics here. If anything, it appears that the president, as well as these two Republican senators, are digging in on their respective sides.

Look, we have talked all morning long, members of our team have, with John Cornyn and with Thom Tillis about where things stand, and they believe that the obstacle here is not coming from Todd Blanche, but from somewhere else in the administration. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): I thought we were pretty close to landing the plane last night, but this morning there's been some more complications.

I think, if this were just between me and Todd Blanche, we would have worked this out, but apparently he's getting some pushback from higher-ups at the White House.

SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): What we said in the hearing is what we're consistent with. We just want to end the fund. And this is not about Blanche. Blanche is negotiating in good faith. We have somebody else in the way, and I don't believe it's the president, and hopefully we can resolve it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOX: And the significance here, of course, is the fact that the Senate Judiciary Committee was supposed to vote to advance this nomination today. If that would have happened, it would have put him on track to potentially getting a vote as early as next week.

And this could all have been over before lawmakers left for their monthlong recess. Right now, that looks like it is just in a lot of jeopardy, Brianna. And I think that one of the concerns is, will this get resolved any time soon? And if this lingers past the August recess, you just have dwindling days until those midterm elections.

KEILAR: Yes, and if Todd Blanche, Lauren, is already serving as acting attorney general, what would change if Trump were to temporarily withdraw his nomination? Does he just continue leading DOJ anyway? How does it work?

FOX: Yes, I mean, that is what happened.

And Thom Tillis actually pointed something out that I think is really interesting, which is that if Donald Trump wants to wait until Thom Tillis and John Cornyn are no longer in the Senate, he's free to do that. But the midterm elections could yield a very different outcome for Donald Trump.

It's possible that Democrats could take back the Senate, and that would change the dynamic of getting his nominee through. It's also possible that Republicans lose a couple of votes in those midterm elections. That could also change the dynamics.

And I will point out that John Cornyn tweeted back to the president's statement earlier, and he pointed out that it's not just Thom Tillis and John Cornyn who have issues. Yes, they're in the spotlight right now because they serve on the Judiciary Committee, but there are other Republicans as well who want to see this weaponization fund over and done with for good -- Brianna.

[13:05:00]

KEILAR: Yes, they're the ones unencumbered by reelection who are out there on a limb about it.

Lauren Fox, thank you so much for the report from Capitol Hill -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Today, we're seeing smoke over the skies of Iran after what the U.S. called a heavy wave of strikes. This was the first time in days that the U.S. launched new attacks in retaliation for Iran's attempts Tuesday on U.S. military positions.

CENTCOM says it targeted dozens of IRGC command centers, missile and drone facilities, and defense sites. Iran is now vowing retribution. The Revolutionary Guard says it'll keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and that the aggressor, they say, will be punished today.

Concern is also growing that the war is expanding after the first strike on energy shipping in Egypt. Cairo says one of its ports was struck by a drone, sparking a fire.

Let's go live with the White House for the latest with CNN's Kristen Holmes.

Kristen, what are officials there saying about where things stand and the risk of this war widening?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, everyone is afraid that this war is going to expand, but they are also still talking to their allies.

Obviously, we saw yesterday the Saudi Arabian defense minister was here. He met with President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, and that was just a day after Saudi Arabia admitted that they had been involved in a joint military operation in Iraq. These were of what they called Iran-linked logistics and weapons sites. So, obviously, there is an alliance there. Obviously, we're already

seeing some spread there. On the other side, while Egypt did not say and nobody had taken credit for what had happened in Egypt, President Trump alluded to it being Iran.

He implied that that was who was behind that attack. This is the first time we have seen Egypt brought into this. They are now saying that they are willing and going to protect whatever they need to do for their people and for all of their assets.

So, on every front, we are really starting to see an expansion here across the region. And that is not what U.S. officials wanted. They wanted some kind of diplomatic off-ramp. They do not want to be embroiled in a large war, particularly a large war with no end in sight.

However, it is clear they are building up those relationships. They are moving forward with the potential of advanced military strikes. It does seem as though, right now, negotiations are off the table.

SANCHEZ: Kristen Holmes, live for us at the White House, thank you so much for that update.

Still to come: Stocks are rebounding after the Dow recorded its worst day of the year following comments made by the Federal Reserve chairman. There's also some tough news for anyone trying to buy a home.

Plus, a sentencing hearing for Colin Gray is right now under way. He's that father who was convicted of murder after his son killed four people at a high school in Georgia.

And, later: The number of cases of cyclosporiasis keep growing. In Michigan, the epicenter of the outbreak, about one in every 1,000 people have been infected.

That and much more coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

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[13:12:17]

KEILAR: Right now, we're keeping a close eye as stock markets recover some of their losses after the Dow's worst day in more than a year. It fell by more than 1,000 points yesterday after the Federal Reserve's decision to keep rates steady and a news conference by Fed Chief Kevin Warsh.

Investors signaled that, while Warsh may be talking tough on inflation, there's doubt about whether he's willing to fight inflation with tough rate hikes. And new numbers out last hour show mortgage rates hitting their highest levels in a year.

CNN's David Goldman is with us now.

David, what are markets signaling right now? DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, like you said,

markets are doing OK. There's a sea of green right now, but, remember, the Dow was down 1,100 points yesterday.

And so any kind of comeback, we're only about less than halfway back. But it's not stocks, actually, that I want to focus on. It's the other market. It's the bond market that I think is really, really important, because the 30-year yield remains -- after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh was speaking yesterday, remains at a 19-year high.

And this yield, the 10-year yield, well, that's close to the highest level that it's been in the entire second Trump administration. And this is the one that influences consumer loans, like credit cards and mortgage rates.

And, as you mentioned, we now have new mortgage rates. And it is devilish. It is 6.66. We will give that a nice little tail. This isn't great, right, if you're trying to buy a home. This is the highest that you we have had in a year, and it's the biggest single-month -- I'm sorry -- single-week jump that we have had in 10 months.

This is a serious, serious issue. So what's going on here? Well, normally, what happens is that the Federal Reserve sets its rate and then the market follows suit. But notice that there's a big difference here. The two-year yield, which is almost always in lockstep, that's not following this, because the Fed funds rate is now, according to the market, not doing enough to combat the inflation risk.

And so the market is kind of taking on a life of its own. So a lot of folks are saying, well, Kevin Warsh, you're not doing your job. Well, let's take a look at that. Kevin Warsh actually had something really interesting to say about it. He said that the markets are playing the ball and not the referee.

In other words, they're not following the Fed anymore. They're doing our work for us. This is really interesting, because the market can help combat inflation, as well as the Fed. We will see if this works, but this is definitely a new strategy that has sent markets a little bit haywire, Brianna.

[13:15:03]

KEILAR: Six-six-six, huh, that number?

GOLDMAN: Hey, listen, I don't make it up.

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: No, but you did the drawing.

GOLDMAN: That's the level. I did the drawing.

KEILAR: And I'm just saying, that didn't really look like horns on your little devil number there.

GOLDMAN: OK. KEILAR: And you could have given it a pitchfork to make it really clear. I'm just -- I'm just saying.

GOLDMAN: That would have been better. My kids are New Jersey Devils fans, so I was trying to do that. But that's a very good point. I'm going to have to rewatch this and probably blush a little bit.

KEILAR: It's OK. I'm sure that it -- it worked, and I'm sure you will have another shot later today.

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: David Goldman, always great to have you take us through this.

Ahead: This is just gut-wrenching testimony in the trial of a mother accused of murdering her three young children. What a responding police officer said about the crime scene ahead.

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[13:20:22]

SANCHEZ: Some breaking news into CNN. For the first time, a school shooter's parent is being sentenced for killings perpetrated by their child.

CNN's Isabel Rosales is live outside court in Winder, Georgia.

Isabel, bring us up to speed on this case.

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Boris, we just heard the sentence passed down by Judge Primm, 15 years in prison for Colin Gray in a trial, a case that the judge noted right off the bat was unprecedented.

This is the first parent in the United States to have been charged successfully with murder for a mass shooting that was carried out by their child. This -- he was facing up to 100 years in prison, and the state was asking for 80 years, but these charges against him, second- degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, second degree cruelty to children, reckless conduct.

The judge found that what is fair here, how he views justice is 15 years behind prison. He said this is a divisive case. Mr. Gray committed crimes, but his crimes are tethered to the tragedy committed by his son, and that makes the situation here a little unique.

"It is clear you failed as a parent," he says. "You were convicted because the warning lights were flashing brighter and brighter, and you didn't get him help, and you didn't remove the access to his guns."

Again, the state provided this case that he was criminally negligent, that he not only bought the AR-15-style rifle that his young son used to carry out this shooting as a Christmas present, but he didn't keep it locked up. There was clear access to this, despite all of the red flags, warning signs from family members saying that he could be a danger, Colt Gray could be a danger.

I want you to listen now to the wife of one of these four victims, Richard Aspinwall, a coach, what she told the court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAYNA ASPINWALL, WIFE OF RICHARD ASPINWALL: Now our daughters must grow up without their father. They will miss his guidance, his encouragement, his hugs, and all the milestones he should have been here to witness.

He was a pathetic excuse for a father. Ricky was not. He was an amazing dad to two little girls. My now-7-year-old, who is a daddy's girl, spends time going to therapy because she struggled with the grief of losing her dad. Colin could not take his son to therapy. Therefore, I have to take mine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALES: And, Boris, these children return to Apalachee High School tomorrow.

SANCHEZ: Wow.

Isabel Rosales, thank you so much for bringing us that testimony in court.

Actually, we have learned that this father, Colin Gray, is set to appeal his conviction? Tell us about that.

ROSALES: Yes, Boris, just before court, the courtroom opened behind me at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. I spoke with one of his attorneys, Brian Hobbs, who said that indeed they will be appealing. They're going to the appellate court here.

I asked, on what grounds? He said multiple grounds, including evidentiary, and that they found that what he's been charged with, they view it as an overreach. It's an unprecedented case. So this does not seem to be the end of the line for this trial for Colin Gray, but, of course, we will let you guys know any update.

SANCHEZ: Yes, please keep us posted. Isabel, thank you so much -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Today, in a Massachusetts courtroom, jurors heard paramedics describe how they tried to save three young children who had been strangled by their mother, Lindsay Clancy.

And a warning that images you're about to see are disturbing here. Prosecutors presented photos of the basement room where the victims were found. There's a onesie crumpled on the floor. Clancy is on trial for the murders of 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan.

Prosecutors say Clancy intentionally plotted their deaths. The defense says the labor and delivery nurse was in the throes of postpartum psychosis and that she killed her children as she tried to kill herself.

CNN's Jean Casarez is the latest on the trial.

And, Jean, jurors had to hear really tough details about what happened to these kids.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Extremely emotional.

All of the first responders virtually came into that courtroom today, from the firefighters to the police officers to the paramedics to the EMTs, and they all had different vantage points. But they talked about that they were outside and they were actually tending -- and they kept coming because more and more victims were being found.

And they were tending to the defendant herself, and they were putting a neck brace on her. And -- but all of a sudden they hear a scream from inside of the house, and they didn't know what that was. But once they discovered it, then they started to help and -- the children by heart monitors, chest-to-chest compressions, and anything they could to save lives.

[13:25:18]

But they heard the father, Patrick Clancy, scream that: "I can't wake them up, and I can't get them up." They walked into the house and then they heard him say other things. Listen to the testimony today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you recall what, if anything, Patrick was saying as you encountered him?

OFFICER BRIAN JOSEPHINE, DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, POLICE DEPARTMENT: Upon his observation of us, myself and Officer Hall, he proceeded to head in our direction, leaving that room. And at that point he looked up and he screamed: "She killed the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kids."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And after he said that, where did you go?

JOSEPHINE: Once he cleared himself from the door frame, we were able to look inside the room, where we observed what appeared to be a child laying motionless on the floor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And did you later learn his name was Dawson Clancy?

JOSEPHINE: Yes, I did.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And do you recall whether he was on his back or his side or something else?

JOSEPHINE: He was on his back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And do you recall his physical appearance?

JOSEPHINE: Like I said, he was laying on his back. His head was tilted to the right-hand side. Looked at him kind of in the face area once we got closer, and his face was white, gray. Lips were blue. Eyes were bloodshot. Looked like blood vessels were popped in his eyes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CASAREZ: It appears as though the prosecution is going to argue that this was a staged suicide attempt.

And, today, they showed pictures in the courtroom of the shingles below the upstairs window that Lindsay jumped out of, and the shingles had blood on them, shingle by shingle by shingle, even to the lower window. There was some blood on the windowsill.

And so the inference was that she possibly was climbing out of the window, hanging onto the shingles. She had superficial cuts on her wrists and her neck, didn't make it, obviously, and now is permanently paralyzed. The defense fought back against that. We will have to hear what argument is.

But we do know in the opening statements the defense said that she had been a gymnast. So we will have to see how that bears out in the evidence. But it's these small little details that are going to be so important to the prosecution's case.

KEILAR: Yes.

Jean, really tough stuff to cover here. Thank you so much for that.

Still to come: the U.S. military launching a new wave of -- quote -- "heavy strikes" against Iran, as more countries get pulled into the conflict. We will have that next.

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