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Capitol Rioter Visits Border With GOP Members of Congress; Biden Welcomes World Series Champs to White House; World Series Champs L.A. Dodgers Visit the White House; Trump Organization Charged With Tax Crimes. Aired 12-12.30p ET

Aired July 02, 2021 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, INSIDE POLITICS: Hello, everybody and welcome to "Inside Politics". I'm John King in Washington. Thank you for sharing your day with us. A gut decision that could end in civil war new reporting pulls back the curtain on President Biden's Afghanistan drawdown. The withdrawal is moving at light speed and so are the Taliban.

Plus, today, a strong June jobs report 850,000 new hires a big boom in hospitality the Biden economy now making big strides in repairing the pandemic jobs damage. And brand new CNN reporting raises huge questions about the company some Republicans keep photos and videos capture a January 6th Capitol riots or get this tagging along with Republican House lawmakers on a trip to the border.

And we begin right there with that new and important reporting from CNN's K-File Team that just speaks volumes about the direction of today's Republican Party. The conservative YouTube personality who took part in the January 6th riot at the Capitol travels with a group of House Republicans to the U.S./Mexico border this week.

If that isn't shocking enough add in this, those Republican members traveling to the border, were skipping a House vote here in Washington that very day on creating a Select Congressional Committee to investigate the January 6th insurrection.

Our CNN Reporter and Senior Editor of the K-File Andrew Kaczynski joins us now with this critical reporting. Andrew, walk us through what you've learned.

ANDREW KACZYNSKI, CNN REPORTER: Yes, it's good to be with you. So basically, as you know, as you mentioned in the intro, this YouTuber named Anthony Aguero, who, as we previously reported, is a close friend of Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared.

You know, he took part in the Capitol riot, went into the building, chanted heave ho as rioters broke in later, after leaving the building, chanted our house with the rioters, and then justified it, you know, actually criticize those who attacked them over breaking in.

He accompanied all these members of Congress to the border. There was a group of Republicans from the Republican Study Committee, and they traveled to the border ahead of President Trump's visit. How exactly he joined, the group is unclear.

But it's very interesting like because as you can see, in our photos and videos that we just posted on cnn.com. He at time to served as a translator for them when talking to migrants crossing the border. He interviewed many of them and even drove one of them in his truck.

KING: And Andrew, you say we're not quite sure how he got there. What did the members say about this?

KACZYNSKI: So we spoke to the office of Republican Jim Banks. He's the Chair of the Study Committee, who organized the trip. He said they were unaware of this individual participating in the Capitol riot, or who he was. And he said he didn't travel with them, actually, to the border.

So he wasn't part of the group that went from the, you know, press briefing where they, you know, they met before, and then they went to the border. So they said that, you know, they didn't know who he was. But as you can see, he was very intimately involved in this trip. And, you know, just this was this close to this group of a half dozen lawmakers who went.

KING: Right they say they were unaware of who he was and how he got there, but he was translating for them driving at least one of them in the mix of them in a secure situation near the border Andrew Kaczynski at the K-File Team, grateful for this reporting.

With me in studio to share their reporting and their insights CNN's Abby Philip, Jonathan Martin of "The New York Times" Laura Barron- Lopez of "POLITICO" and Seung Min Kim of "The Washington Post". I just want to let you all - I need to - I may have to interrupt you in a second.

Now there's an event at the White House, the President United States greeting the world Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. They will tell me when that is ready, and we will go to that. Are we ready for that? Let's go to the East Room.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Good afternoon, everyone. It's a great beginning of the Fourth of July weekend, Madam Vice President. Mr. Leader, how are you? Good to see you.

We're here today to congratulate a group of folks who did pretty well. Welcome in the White House. I have a feeling Kamala - I think we may be doing this again by the end of the year. I'm not sure I'll be able to handle Garcetti if you win twice. I mean, it is going to be hard, really hard.

[12:05:00] BIDEN: But the 2020 World Series Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. You are honored and thrilled are here. And that goes for the vice president too. She's - she's from California probably heard. I'm not going to mention which end of the state she's from right now and who she roots for? But is Doug here?

I know he was. I thought he may - I tell you what, well, you know, we have, you know, when you talk about mixed families, I had a mixed family and she's got a mixed family based on baseball, and sports. I'm not going to mention that team in Northern California, in the San Francisco area.

And I'm not going to mention that team in Philadelphia. My wife is a Philly girl from her belt buckle to her shoe soles and if I root for anybody, but the Phillies, obviously from Lincoln bedroom alone. But, you know, sometimes well, no, never. Right, right but the Dodgers are a lot more than a baseball club. They really are.

They're a pillar of American culture, and American progress and that's for real. The team that brought us the voice of Vin Scully and Armour Sandy Koufax, and Fernando, Valenzuela, and I was talking with staff and they said, I wanted to teach how to pronounce that name.

I said I've watched the pitch. But I'm only 37. But it's I wish anyway, Bob - the heart of Jackie Robinson. Now, you're building the new dynasty for a new generation. And I've often said that it's never a good idea to bet against the American people tell that to every world leader I encounter?

Well, now we know it's never a good idea to bet against Mookie and Mookie is a hell of a ballplayer but a guy who used to love Mookie is my Chief Strategist, Mike Donilon. But he didn't want to talk to Mookie anymore. Mookie left Boston. This is a Boston fan.

So I mean, you know, there's nothing like dividing staffs based on baseball. But folks, it's not a good idea to bet against Clayton either. You know or Cody. You know, this is a world championship organization, because they've got a team full of guys who stepped up when they are called upon, just stepped up.

And it takes a team to finish with the best record in baseball and knock out the Brewers, the Padres, and the Braves the race, and win it all. And the Dodgers just didn't win. You finished with the highest winning percentage of any team since 1954.

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: Think about that the winning ballclub since 1954. No, it takes a team to persevere through one of the most challenging seasons, one of the most challenging years in our nation's history. In the pandemic, when struck it up into just about everything, every part of American life.

Families were grieving for loved ones lost the economy collapsed. The pain and fear in the nation were immeasurable. When the season began, it was easy to feel like it was - they had bigger things to worry about than just sports. And of course we did. And we still do.

But I think what we discovered is that we need sports more than we ever realized. We certainly see it now as fans returned to ballparks and arenas all across the country, cheering on their favorite players and teams sharing that sense of community and pride. It's a uniting feature.

As I said, you guys in the other room. And we go through a crisis very often sports; it brings us together to heal, to help us feel like things are going to be OK. They're going to get better for a few hours each day, feeling and sensing and experiencing something familiar, something normal, something that's fun in the middle of a chaos, and believing that we're going to get back to all that we're missing.

And we're going to get back to someday soon. So today, we celebrate your incredible achievement. We celebrate the great work you do on and off the field in the community and on childhood literacy, preventing bullying and so much more.

For the way this team is built, and from the waist but I suspect we have many of you as I said maybe back visiting soon. Above all, as we beat this pandemic and celebrate fans coming back to stadiums. We celebrate something else, a national achievement.

[12:10:00]

BIDEN: We came together as fellow Americans, frontline workers, friends, families, neighbors, looking out for one another and Dodger Stadium was the heart of that effort. I want to thank you ownership for the heart of the effort. Administering more than 1 million COVID test at the stadium and getting nearly a half million vaccine doses in people's arms.

Dodgers also helped us come together by being the first team in baseball to make their stadium available to voting as distance outdoor vote centers during the last election. So not only does Dodger Stadium host world champions, it helps save lives and strengthens our democracy as well.

Together as a nation, we've proved it truly is never a good bet to bet against America. America's back, and then Dodgers are back. So congratulations to all of you and the best of luck the rest of the season. May God bless you all and may God protect our troops. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: Now let's bring up a three time Cy Young Award Winner Clayton Kershaw to say a few words and maybe throw a few curveballs. OK, come on, man.

CLAYTON KERSHAW, NATIONAL LEAGUE CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER: Hi, everybody first time to speak at the White House so sorry if I'm a little nervous. But, Mr. President, thank you for having us. It's an honor to be here and get to celebrate our World Series victory here at the White House. Last season was a special one for us. But it was also a challenging

one for our country. And our hope was that we were able to provide just a little bit of joy and comfort and relief to our fans that are going through some tough times.

This season it's been incredible to have fans back in the ballpark. We miss their energy and their passion for the game. And it means so much to us that people are coming back to the ballpark and things around the country are going back to normal.

Hopefully, like you said, we can come visit again next year. So with that, we brought something for you and the vice president. And now our team owner Mark Walter is going to bring that down for you.

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: I'm a man of courage.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

BIDEN: Thank you very much.

KERSHAW: I think - going to come up now and present to the Madam Vice President.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Vice President this is your jersey.

(APPALUSE)

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much.

BIDEN: All right. OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for having us.

BIDEN: Thank you man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I appreciate it, thank you.

BIDEN: Alright. You're going to take this down? I know in a minute, but hang on a second, folks. You know, I think even the Americans who aren't baseball fans, they - there's an awful lot of baseball metaphors and an awful lot of - it creeps into every part of our language in our culture.

And it has been one of the great equalizers. What - come up here Madam Vice President with the vice president I spent a lot of time working on making sure we do is deal with the equity in United States, making sure that we change the dynamic in a fundamental way that, you know, we we're the only nation in the world based, organized based on an idea.

Every other nation is based on the notion of culture or geography or religion, we're based on an idea, not a joke. And the idea is we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men and women are created equal endowed by their Creator. That's who we are.

And we decided this is a time to push that forward. What the baseball has done? Look what baseball is done?

[12:15:00]

BIDEN: Look at the makeup of this park - makeup of the ballpark all across the league? I really mean this gigantic look at who's managing this club? You know, I mean, it's so it matters and you send a message that is profound.

Now I'm going to mention one ballplayer that the vice president heard me mentioned before that I - even I never - even I'm not old enough to have watched him play but Satchel Page and Satchel Page as any pitcher I can tell you the older you get the harder to keep that arm going, right?

Well, he didn't get to the majors until he was 45-years-old. On his 47th birthday I know you all know this. He pitched the win against Chicago. And all the press went into his room. And in the locker room, is it - it's amazing. 47-years-old and you have pitched to win. How do you feel about being 47 Satch?

He said boys that are now how I look at age. I had the staff look this up is what he does. It's not how I look at it and how you look at it Satch? I look at it this way. He said how old would you be able to know how old you were?

I am 51 years old. You guys are 19. Anyway, I think you're real. I know you don't underestimate. You saw what happened and other professional leagues and the way you all the leagues responded to the crisis we face. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

And I just want you to know that we have a congressional baseball game every year. And the very beginning I used to be a centerfielder and my Walter - so long story. And my kids only remember two things that ever happened to me. In my career, my boys, and I've met kings and queens, they've gone to other countries.

But I played in the first the second congressional baseball game at the old stadium the old Washington stadium. I hit one off the right centerfield wall bounced off the wall. I think it's 368 or I don't know what it is exactly now, but off the wall, and I'm rounding anyway, to make a long story short. My kids remember that. All the rest and guess why?

Only I remember too. Yes, I talk what could have been, could have been. And I'm like Cedric Richmond who is the Congressman and hell of an athlete pitched in college and, and he - were both hoping that somehow he would do it based on merit. I'm hoping because I got like the president, I may do it on influence, to be invited to be inducted into the congressional baseball hall.

Anyway, so thank you, thank you. Thank you. And I just want you to know, it really means a lot to us that you're here. It means a lot that in the kind of hope you give the American people don't underestimate it guys. What are we doing now boss? We're taking this down. We're going to take some pictures. You want me doing it again?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: --Joe Biden along with the Vice President Kamala Harris in the East Room of the White House celebrating paying tribute to the 2020 Baseball World Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers who are here if you're with us at the top of the program, we were talking about something quite abnormal.

Republicans visiting the U.S./Mexico border with a rioter with a YouTube conservative personality who participated in the January 6th riots at the United States Capitol abnormal behavior. What you just saw there in the White House, we were talking about it during the event here at the table was returned to some normalcy.

Some teams would not come during the Trump Presidency. They did not want to be associated with the former president. Then you had the Coronavirus pandemic, which set all sports off the table for a little bit.

The President of the United States there, paying tribute to the Dodgers not only for being the world champions, but for coming back and playing during the COVID pandemic and for making Dodger Stadium available for COVID vaccines, COVID testing and voting in last year's election a dose of normalcy.

SEUNG MIN KIM, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE WASHINGTON POST: Yes, it was delightfully normal, I would say. And I mean, he - the president really took that event as kind of fun and light and fluffy it is to really emphasize kind of his broad message going into independence day that we are still working to defeat this virus but look at you know, thank you for playing during the pandemic.

Thank you for giving Americans hope. Thank you for using your facilities to help us combat this pandemic as we head into this Independence Day. And again, we kind of all miss these cheesy sports outings at the White House.

And like you said a lot of protests from various athletic teams during the Trump Administration over its policies over - over the former presidents, statements and positions so it is a nice dose of normalcy back at the White House.

[12:20:00]

JONATHAN MARTIN, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK POST: Joe Biden telling stories and stopping himself telling stories and then started - there's also a of normalcy.

KING: Yes, it was a dose--

MARTIN: And there was a Red Sox shout out, John that I know--

KING: No, I'm - I will just note for the historical record that Mookie Betts was at the White House first is a member of the World Champion Boston Red Sox. Before he was there as a member for the world champion, Los Angeles Dodgers. Best of luck for Mookie, he is among the best.

Up next for us, the Trump Organization and its numbers guy are indicted, the former president falls back on quite a familiar refrain, which hunt.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:25:00]

KING: Turning now to the case against the Trump Organization and what it means for Donald Trump? Alan Weisselberg is now charged with grand larceny and tax fraud. The company that bears Mr. Trump's name is charged as a co conspirator in 10 of 15 felony counts.

Manhattan prosecutors in court Thursday alleged that the Trump Chief Financial Officer cashed in on off the books benefits, rent and utilities cars, furniture, holiday gifts carpeting, all prosecutors say illegally subsidized by the Trump Organization.

It is detailed document based on years of evidence the former president's defense though quite familiar, witch hunt he says. Let's get straight to New York CNN's Kara Scannell. Kara, walk through what we know.

KARA SCANNELL, CNN REPORTER: Yes, good afternoon, John. So the prosecutors yesterday, you know announced this sweeping and diamond and what they said was a sweeping and audacious illegal payment scheme, a scheme they allege went on for 15 years and involved the very top of the Trump Organization, the Chief Financial Officer Alan Weisselberg.

He's also someone that Donald Trump put in charge of the company when he became president along with his two adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. Now none of the Trump family members are named in this indictment. And it really focuses on this payment scheme that the prosecutors allege allowed Weisselberg to not pay taxes on $1.7 million.

That includes what they say the Trump Organization also did not pay taxes on this form of compensation that they gave to Weisselberg that included a free apartment, free Mercedes Benz for him and his wife. They said as a covered flat screen TVs, his school tuition payments for his grandchildren, and a lot of other expenses that totaled up over the years to about $1.7 million.

Now Alan Weisselberg had entered a plea of not guilty in court yesterday. His lawyers say that he will fight these charges in court. And for now they're aligned the Trump Organization issuing a statement backing Weisselberg saying that he is a pawn in what prosecutors are doing as a political prosecution.

They said this was a witch hunt. The Trump Organization also pleaded not guilty and they intend to fight this as well John.

KING: We watch it all play out Kara Scannell, grateful for reporting. I know you'll stay on top of it. Let's continue the conversation now with White Collar Criminal Defense Attorney Caroline Polisi. Caroline I want to read one piece. This is what one of the prosecutors laid out in court on Thursday.

This is not a standard practice in the business community. Nor was it the act of a rogue or isolated employee. Instead, it was orchestrated by the most senior executives who were financially benefiting themselves and the company by getting secret pay raises at the expense of the state and federal taxpayers. If it is such a widespread scheme involving the most senior executives, why just one senior executive charged?

CAROLINE POLISI, FEDERAL AND WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, the question, of course, John, is will there be further indictments, and I think everybody is wondering that.

This was a very circumscribed set of charges here very serious charges, as you note but very localized meaning based on all of the reporting that we've seen thus far up until now, you know, we didn't see these bombshell bank fraud charges or insurance fraud charges or inflation of assets, and deflation of assets, things of that nature.

You know that we've heard that the DA as well, as Tish James has been investigating. The fact that the grand jury is seeded, the special grand jury is seeded for several more months, the fact that prosecutors alluded to having a protective order in place because of the ongoing nature of this investigation leads some people to believe that, you know, perhaps there is more to more here to come.

And so that's just the question that we're all waiting for. I think, you know, it could be a catch 22 as everybody is noting, based on whether or not Weisselberg cooperate. So we kind of have to wait and see.

KING: Right. And part of that wait and see is if you're Donald Trump, the Former President of the United States, the Former CEO of the Trump Organization, and you're sitting down with your lawyers, and you're discussing what my legal jeopardy is? Should I be worried about what comes next?

This also from prosecutor - in court yesterday and the former CEO signed itself, many of the illegal compensation checks. To put it bluntly, this was a sweeping and audacious illegal payment scheme. Again, I come back to the question if the former CEO signed himself many of the illegal compensation checks, why isn't the former CEO named?

POLISI: Well, absolutely. Tax fraud is sort of a unique charge here and that you have to a heightened level of willfulness. It's not enough to show that he signed the check. You have to show that he had sort of an understanding generalized understanding of the tax law and a willful disregard for them or willful action to break them.

But you know, I would just note that, you know, even if the former president is not ultimately indicted here. The collateral consequences for the Trump Organization are quite significant here. It is a highly leveraged company.