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CNN Headlines: Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) Denies Abuse Allegations In Defiant CNN Interview; Tight Democratic Primary Battle A Test Case For Electability V. Ideology; Epstein Survivors Do Not Want Blanche To Be Confirmed As Attorney General. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired August 05, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:00]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. also running low on key missile defense weapons and this is all amid rising tensions with Iran. Sources say that the military has used nearly 80 percent of its missile interceptors and about half of its Patriot missiles since the start of the war. Military officials are now warning that the Pentagon and the shortage -- it could limit any defense against possible Iranian attacks.
Also, Ohio Congressman Max Miller is refusing to drop his reelection bid even as the House Ethics Committee reviews allegations of domestic violence abuse and illegal drug use.
He denied the allegations in a defiant interview with CNN's Jake Tapper yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, "THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER": There are now three women -- three women who have accused you of violent behavior.
Politico published a report in 2021 that says when you were in high school you "pushed a girl out of the dorm (sic) of his room and she fell down some stairs after he became enraged when she resisted his attempts to touch her, according to three people who were there and many more who heard about the incident in the aftermath."
Now you deny that but the woman in question told Mother Jones reporter Abby Vesoulis just days ago that it happened and was "one of the more traumatic nights of her life."
Now that's --
REP. MAX MILLER (R-OH): I would love --
TAPPER: Hold on.
MILLER: -- that individual to go on the record because that --
TAPPER: OK, hold on --
MILLER: Hold on Jake.
TAPPER: -- because I'm not done --
MILLER: That was 13 years --
TAPPER: -- with the list of women --
MILLER: I know.
TAPPER: -- that have accused you of violence.
MILLER: Thirteen years old.
Then there is former White House press secretary -- OK, you were young.
Then there's former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham who was your ex-girlfriend. She accused you of being abusive and having a violent streak. She wrote in her book, "I could do nothing right by him. I would wake up every morning shaking with -- shaking with anxiety about his mood that day. I had seen his temper before, and it had scared me." She has recently filed a temporary restraining order against you in a defamation case.
And now there are these claims from your ex-wife Emily Moreno.
And I guess the question is are all three of these women who don't know each other -- are all three of them lying?
MILLER: Yes. it's very easy and I can tell you why. Every single time -- and people have asked me, you know, what are you going to do? Are you going to drop out of this race? Are you going to resign? You know, are you going to get out before the deadline? And my answer to you Jake is no, and I can tell you why.
In 2016, when President Donald J. Trump faced the most extreme allegations in the world that hit him day after day after day, and people in the media very much like yourself and others said that he would have no shot at winning. That he should not be the President of the United States. But guess what? He stayed in and he was resilient. And what the American people can see is that they can see that somebody is fighting who is resilient, and that is a quality that American people cherish.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: A source tells CNN that some top Republican lawmakers have been asking President Trump to push Miller to exit the race before next Monday's deadline to replace him on the ballot.
Congresswoman Haley Stevens and progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed are locked in a tight battle in Michigan's marquee Democratic primary for Senate. With neither able to claim victory yet, both candidates addressed their supporters overnight.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny is in Detroit with the latest from the Haley Stevens campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. HALEY STEVENS, (D) MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: I know it has been an exciting night.
(Cheers)
I know it's been a long night --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
STEVENS: -- because that's the Michigan way.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: A long election day has turned into the day after. Congresswoman Haley Stevens imploring her supporters to go home and get some sleep. And she believes the results will be known at some point in the day on Wednesday.
STEVENS: We knew that this was going to be a close race, and that's exactly what we've got.
ZELENY: Now this race has been much closer than many people here in Michigan thought it would be, but she said it is important for Democrats to come together regardless of the outcome. But a nationalized race has come all the way down to Detroit. Hyperlocal, she is leading here in Wayne County, home of Detroit and the results often take a long time here. So she wished her supporters well and said she'll come back and see them on Wednesday.
STEVENS: Friends, I am feeling good about this race.
(Cheers)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Thank you to Jeff Zeleny at Stevens campaign headquarters.
Now across town to Abdul El-Sayed's headquarters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABDUL EL-SAYED, (D) MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: Right now we are on track to vastly outvote the historical numbers that we should have expected.
(Cheers)
We all knew they were going to spend their money. We didn't know they were going to spend $70 million of their money. We didn't know that they were going to outspend $11.00 to $1.00. And yet we are still standing.
(Cheers) We can't control the past 250 years. What we can do is build the next 250.
(Cheers)
And to do that it's going to mean movements like this one of the people by the people and for the people with a distinct purpose of taking on the challenges that we face.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[05:35:00]
SMITH: Whoever wins the nomination will face off against former Congressman Mike Rogers.
We'll keep an eye on all of the results across all five states that voted Tuesday and keep you up to date.
The president proclaims that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened very soon or he would launch new strikes on Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Iran is an example. They'll never have a nuclear weapon. They already can't. But they'll -- it's going to be formal. The strait is going to be open very soon or they're going to get hit very hard and then the strait is going to be open. And we will go into a tremendous attack, the biggest since World War II.
And they called me and said very politely, "Please, can we talk? Can we talk?" They didn't want. And I said, "Yes, we can talk. Let's get it done." If they back out again, they're going to get hit really hard, you know. They know that. They understand that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Trump's comments come as Qatar says efforts to end the conflict between the U.S. and Iran are in very progressive stages. Mediators are currently focused on finding a short-term resolution that would bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table.
We take you now to Capitol Hill. That's where Todd Blanche can only afford to lose one more vote in his bid to become attorney general. Blanche did get a big boost yesterday after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to move his nomination forward.
Now he initially encountered resistance from Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, but after he put forward a satisfaction -- at least the agreements to ultimately take off the table this $1.8 billion weaponization fund, as it has been called -- well, some of those -- they ultimately moved in his favor.
So Blanche did get a big boost after that. But moving forward here there is going to be much more to watch as he can only afford to lose one vote.
After yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to move his nomination forward. Blanche has since run into resistance from Maine's senator now, Susan Collins. She says she will vote no on Blanche's nomination. Collins says it's because Blanche's actions have eroded the independence of the Justice Department.
Epstein survivors are also opposing his nomination over how they say he handled the case.
CNN's Katelyn Polantz explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This one issue that had hung over Blanche for months and months and months until he had to deal with this anti-weaponization fund that he created with the president -- that's the handling of the case against Jeffrey Epstein -- the investigation.
And then also the redactions whenever the Department of Justice was going through millions of filings and putting those filings out in the public domain. There were failures across the board there where survivors' names were doxed. Their images were put out there in the public domain before the department fixed it.
And those victims -- survivors are still very, very angry with Todd Blanche -- a meeting that he had with them when Tillis was still on the fence there. When Sen. Tillis wanted Blanche to meet with the Epstein survivors. They came out of that very dissatisfied, and they still do not want him to be confirmed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: The final vote on Blanche's nomination is expected later this week.
Turning internationally, Ukraine says that Russian forces killed at least 17 people in a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv this morning and dozens more were wounded. Now, fires broke out across the capital and Ukrainian officials -- they warned that the threat of more strikes remains.
Wildfire smoke is hanging over much of western Washington pushing air quality to unhealthy levels in addition to severe weather.
CNN's Reed Benyon has an update on the conditions for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARJORIE SOUTHWORTH, NORTH BEND, WASHINGTON RESIDENT: Nothing is burning here. It does have kind of an other worldly feeling. It feels apocalyptic.
REED BENYON, CNN REPORTER (voiceover): As major wildfires tear through eastern Washington smoke from the fires is impacting communities on the other side of the state.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's nothing you could do about it except for follow the recommendations and take care of yourselves.
BENYON (voiceover): The Spokane County fires are among 17 major fires burning across Washington. Wildfires also burning to the south in Oregon and even further south in Northern California. The Gann fire, which started Monday, has burned through thousands of acres and prompted evacuations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I only packed enough food for the horses for, like, a day because I'm like, oh, we'll be back tomorrow. I don't think that's going to happen.
BENYON (voiceover): Also in the western U.S. severe weather forced nearly two dozen flights bound for Denver to divert to Colorado Springs Monday night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What type of aircraft went around you? Did you say it was for windshear or microbursts?
PILOT: Um, you know, uh, maybe windshear.
BENYON (voiceover): Five people were injured by turbulence. The airport confirmed Colorado Springs Fire Department personnel provided medical assistance with one person hospitalized in stable condition.
[05:40:00]
Meanwhile, in the east, high water on Tuesday. Heavy flooding hitting Norfolk, Virginia. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning, describing the weather "dangerous and life-threatening." In one incident a motorist was seen being rescued from a partially submerged vehicle.
I'm Reed Benyon reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Thank you, Reed.
Five people were injured from turbulence as severe weather forced 22 planes to divert from Denver, Colorado Monday night. That's according to the Colorado Springs Airport where the planes diverted to. A cold front moved over the Rocky Mountains, bringing strong winds and a change in wind direction over Denver's airport. The five passengers were all from different flights. One was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, scary video of an out of control car slamming into the side of a bus. What caused the incident coming up.
Plus, why a fast-food chain is pulling jalapenos from some of their restaurants. That story and more still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:45:20]
SMITH: We are just three months from the midterm elections and in Texas something very unusual is happening. A Democrat is leading in the race for the U.S. Senate. That has not happened in a generation, folks.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten explains what might be at play here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: It looks like we're heading towards a Texas showdown and James Talarico could make history. He could be the first Democrat elected to the United States Senate from the Lone Star State since 1988. Oh my goodness gracious.
What are we talking about? Well, I just want to note how unusual it is. While James Talarico, in an average of the last two polls -- well, he's up by three points. Compare this to where Democrat Beto O'Rourke was at this point in the 2018 campaign during Trump's first term. Ted Cruz, a Republican -- the incumbent Republican was leading by six points.
Indeed, James Talarico's lead at this point is the first time a Democrat -- a candidate for United States Senate from Texas has been leading at this point in the race since 1988. He is fueled by Independents whom Talarico leads by 40 points among. Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke were actually tied among Independents.
But it's more than that. It's about how unpopular the Republican candidate Ken Paxton is compared to what we would normally see from a Republican in Texas. GOP nominee's net favorability, Texas Republicans. Ted Cruz -- he was above water right there, plus eight points.
Look at Ken Paxton, way down there. Look at that -- minus 12 points. That's favorable -- minus unfavorable. Again, being fueled by Independents. He is -- get this -- 47 points underwater down there in the Rio Grande Valley. My goodness gracious -- minus 47.
But it also about President Trump who -- remember, he won in Texas but now he is well underwater in Texas. His net popularity rating, minus 10 points, even worse than he was in term number one.
Cruz very different from Paxton and Trump very different from Trump in term number one. But you, my friend, are always the same -- absolutely fantastic.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Harry Enten, thank you.
Officials are releasing new shocking video of a swerving car crashing into a bus in Australia. CNN has the full story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Car crashing into a bus. (Bleep)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This car flew into the side of a bus.
Car crashing into a bus. (Bleep). Oh (bleep).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The car driver swerved to avoid another vehicle causing the car to hit the median island of the road and wedged itself in the side of the stationary bus, according to the Brisbane City Council.
Car crashing into a bus. (Bleep). Oh (INAUDIBLE). Just wait.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The bus driver rushed to the driver of the car helping her out of her vehicle and to a nearby seat. The driver of the car was taken to the hospital and treated for shock, officials say.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sit down.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The City Council says the driver of the other vehicle was reportedly fined by police for driving without due care and attention.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. Everything's OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You alright? You sure?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're fine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Well, it's time for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking.
And first up, "THE VOICE" has a new host. It's Keke Palmer. She will be replacing longtime host Caron Daly for season 31. And that's not the only twist for the singing competition. This season will be called "THE VOICE: CELEBRITY" and we're going to see a wide range of influencers, athletes and other celebs compete to become the first celebrity champion. The new season is set to premiere next year.
And "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" alum Bowen Yang is heading to Broadway. Playbill reports that he'll make his debut in "Oh, Mary!" or a 12-week run starting next month. Here he is from the official website. Yang will play Mary Todd Lincoln in the hit dark comedy which certainly puts a twist on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Instead of focusing on the tragedy the play depicts Mary Todd as a chaotic cabaret-obsessed housewife who is desperate for the spotlight.
And Michelle Pfeiffer says she's done with feature films. The three- time Oscar nominee declared "I never want to star in another movie. I swear to God" -- insisting she only wants to do ensemble television from now on. Pfeiffer made the comments during an Apple TV panel over the weekend. She's currently up for a primetime Emmy award for co- starring in Apple TV's "MARGO'S GOT MONEY TROUBLES."
All right. I do want to warn you that this next story is disturbing, and it contains details of self-harm. Police were called to gossip blogger Perez Hilton's home last night after he appeared to harm himself on a TikTok livestream.
[05:50:05]
CNN's Robbie Hawken reports with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBBIE HAWKEN, CNN ASSOCIATE PRODUCER (voiceover): Police arrived at the home of celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton after he appeared to be harming himself on a TikTok livestream. Multiple social media users commented, urging him to stop before the livestream was taken down.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office told CNN it received multiple calls about the incident. After arriving police confirmed an individual was alone inside the home. The sheriff's office told CNN that the individual was transported to a local hospital, and mental health professionals are providing support to their family.
CNN has reached out to Perez Hilton's representatives and TikTok for comment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:55:05]
SMITH: In today's Money Express, a federal trial date is set for antitrust challenges to Paramount's $111 billion deal to buy CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. The trial is scheduled to start on March 2, 2027, and run for 12 court days. This trial timeline is another step back for Paramount, which hoped to close the deal this summer.
Well, Chipotle has pulled jalapenos from their restaurants amid a salmonella outbreak.
Maribel Aber joins us with that and the rest of your top Money Express headlines. Hey, Maribel.
MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: Hey, Brad.
Mexican fast-food chain Chipotle has pulled jalapenos from restaurants nationwide after a salmonella outbreak in Minnesota sickened more than 100 people. The company says it traced the bacteria to a single lot of peppers and removed them from its supply chain as a precaution.
Now, Minnesota health officials say nearly nine in 10 people who became ill reported eating at Chipotle before getting sick. Investigators are working to determine if the outbreak extends beyond Chipotle to other Mexican-style restaurant chains. The FDA says it is aware of and monitoring the situation.
SpaceX beat Wall Street's expectations in its first earnings report as a public company, but its AI spending rattled investors. Shares fell more than eight percent in afterhours trading. The company reported nearly $8 billion in quarterly revenue, up 92 percent from a year ago. But SpaceX also spent nearly twice that amount on AI-related infrastructure, raising concerns about the company's aggressive spending.
Starting tomorrow, early, SpaceX investors and some employees can begin selling pre-IPO shares, which could add more pressure to the stock.
Crumbl Cookies is giving away free 12 ounce dirty sodas through Saturday. Customers who download the Crumbl app can get a voucher for the free drink in-store only. Any soda on the menu can be mixed with a variety of syrups or creams to make it dirty. To see whether there is a participating store near you visit crumblcookies.com.
Brad, I've never had a dirty soda. It might be time to try one.
SMITH: Me neither. And apparently our control hasn't because we all thought that this was a saucy type of beverage bringing new meaning to it's got to be five o'clock somewhere. So now we know.
Maribel, thank you so much.
Let's get a check in on some of the other stories making news across the country.
We start in East St. Louis, Illinois. That is where police say a 15- year-old is accused of killing a person while wearing a clown costume. Neighbors say that they saw the teenager going door-to-door in the area, peering into windows and carrying a large knife. Right before the killing, Ring camera footage captured an individual approaching a home, looking into the camera and saying, "I have a gift for you." Authorities would not say if the individual is the main suspect in the investigation. The identity of the victim hasn't been released.
All right, we take you to Illinois now. That's where one person is dead after an explosion flattened a neighborhood yesterday. No word yet on how many were injured or what caused the blast. The investigation is ongoing.
All right. In Nevada, Badger and Banjo are dogs and they're keeping visitors safe by chasing away bears. CNN's Jeremy Roth explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY ROTH, CNN PRODUCER (voiceover): Speedy scares caught on camera. Watch a pair of fearless dogs chase a massive bear back into the wilderness. Their names are Badger and Banjo, and they are considered specialists with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, which uses these fast and furious Karelian bear dogs not just to usher wild bears captured in populated areas back into the wild, but to send a message: You are not welcome here. It's referred to as a bear hazing and it's a dangerous doggy duty to be sure. But fear not. The department says every operation is carefully planned and executed by professionals to keep not just the people safe but the bears and dogs as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: And got the GoPro footage to prove it, too.
Also, sometimes you have to run a quick errand but you're short on time and your destination is just too far away. A Wisconsin man found a unique way to get from point A to point B, and it ended up catching the attention of police.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know that feeling when the store is just a little too far away? Well, this 69-year-old man from Rosendale, Wisconsin has found a solution. Just take your helicopter.
On August 1, a deputy responded to reports of a helicopter landing in a Cabelas parking lot, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office said the pilot told the deputy that he flew because "The drive was too long."
Authorities said that the man was properly licensed, landed safely, complied with FAA regulations, and answered the deputy's questions, so he let him go. They said that he was making no violations and instead it was just a unique way to make a shopping trip to avoid all the roundabouts in front of Cabelas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Honestly, I get it.
[06:00:00]
And happy birthday to this guy at the National Zoo in D.C. Panda Bao Li celebrated his fifth time around the sun on Tuesday. Crowds gathered to watch the pudgy bear enjoy a fruitsicle cake made of frozen apple and pineapple juices -- yum. And let's not call him pudgy. He's just got a little extra lovin' on the sides as well. A beautiful bear there, and happy birthday to our good friend.
That does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
