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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Headlines: In Close Race, Dems Nominate Moderate David Crowley For Wisconsin Governor; Trump Responds To Secret Plane Switch In Turkey; Officials Forecast Higher Oil & Gas Prices In 2027; Rep. Max Miller Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Violence, History Of Outbursts. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired August 12, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:21]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: CNN projects David Crowley will win Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary. He will now face Republican Representative Tom Tiffany in November.
And Marine veteran Robert Gilman is back in the U.S. after being freed from detention in Russia. What we know this morning about his release.
And look at this funnel cloud in Ohio. Deadly storms rolled through the Midwest, producing visuals like this. A look at the damage also left behind that's coming your way.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning.
Let's get this started.
It is the morning after primary night in six states. And after a long night of ballot counting, CNN projects, Milwaukee County executive David Crowley, a moderate Democrat, will win Wisconsin's primary for governor. He had been locked in a tight race with State Assemblymember Francesca Hong.
Now, earlier last night, Congressman Tom Tiffany won the GOP nod, who has the endorsement of President Trump. Now, he will face off against Crowley in November's election.
In picking Crowley, Democrats in Wisconsin, they chose the last moderate standing against Hong, a Democratic socialist. Crowley dropped out of the race in early July, but then reentered just days later with the support of Wisconsin's outgoing governor. But that's just one race across four states that held primaries Tuesday. Two more states held special primaries, including South Carolina.
Republicans there are picking the candidate who they want to replace, Lindsey Graham and CNN projects Darline Graham, the sister of the late senator, and Congressman Ralph Norman, will compete in a runoff. It comes in two weeks. Neither candidate, they got a majority of the vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. DARLINE GRAHAM (R-SC): I want to thank the Republican voters of South Carolina for having confidence in me. I look forward to the next two weeks meeting with you, listening to your concerns, and telling you more about me and my conservative values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Later this hour, well bring you more updates from Tuesday's primaries, including the results from two key races in Minnesota.
President Trump is addressing the secret plane switch in Turkey last month that was sparked by an Iranian assassination threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's only up to Secret Service. I just follow what they'd like to do. So, I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, a different plane, equal safety. But they wanted me to do it. So, I do it. I do what they say
REPORTER: Why was it too dangerous for you to fly on Air Force One, but not too dangerous for the press?
TRUMP: Well, I don't know. I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk. I think it was at greater risk because that would be the plane. I think that we that they would be more likely to go for it.
REPORTER: Were you worried about a shoulder-fired missile?
TRUMP: I don't worry about anything, to be honest. Whatever it is. You know, my attitude, whatever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: In case you were wondering how this elaborate ruse played out, a U.S. official says that President Trump boarded Air Force One for the cameras, but secretly exited the aircraft through a catering truck that you see highlighted in this video. He was then whisked away to a smaller military plane.
Now here you can see journalists boarding Air Force One. They were unaware the president had been moved in, they were flying on what essentially became a decoy plane.
Meanwhile, President Trump is saying that the U.S. has, quote, "total control of the Strait of Hormuz".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We own it. And at some point, maybe they'll do something and then they get blown away. But we right now, we're in a very good position. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Trump has previously said that the strait is open, but shipping data doesn't back that up. Both the U.S. and Iran have yet to arrive at a deal to reopen the critical waterway. And on Tuesday, forecasters warned of higher oil and gas prices next year.
CNN has new reporting about Max Miller, the congressman fighting to represent Ohio's seventh district. Court filings by Congressman Miller's ex-wife, the daughter of Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, allege a pattern of violent and unsettling behavior, including throwing hot water on her, in one incident, pointing a gun at her mother and -- gun at her, excuse me, in another. Miller has denied all of these allegations as politically motivated.
Now, CNN has new reporting on earlier incidents where he was accused of violent or problematic behavior.
And Allison Gordon with the CNN investigative team, spoke with Anderson Cooper last night, all about it.
[05:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLISON GORDON, CNN REPORTER & PRODUCER: I obtained police reports, went through court records and spoke to more than half a dozen people who knew Max Miller when he was younger, and nearly all of them, Anderson, described him in a similar way aggressive, hot headed, quick to start fights with outbursts that made others feel uncomfortable.
And people say all of this became worse when he drank. Now, Miller also had several criminal charges during this period. He had at least four run ins with the police between 2007 and 2011, with charges like disorderly conduct, intoxication, criminal mischief for punching through a window after a night out and crashing a jeep into a light pole on a college campus. The police report said MDMA and other prescription drugs were later found in his bloodstream.
Now that crash seemed like a turning point for Miller. I spoke with three people from the time who told me that Miller tried to get sober in this period and make amends. One is a man who used to play baseball with Miller in high school, and he said that later on, miller made it a point to apologize to him for his past bad behavior.
Former classmates also told me he had a reputation for being misogynistic. One woman told me he was, quote, "not someone you wanted to be close with as a female." Former friend said he would brag about his sexual exploits and make degrading comments about girls, specifically about their weight.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": There's one allegation from his teenage years that he. He pushed a girl who then fell down some stairs during a party at his house. I understand you spoke with a classmate who arrived just after the incident is said to occur. He's joining us shortly. Can you just briefly outline what the accusation was at the time?
GORDON: Of course, Anderson. So according to my sources, Miller threw a party at his parents' house. And that same night, he allegedly pushed a female classmate down the stairs after she rejected advances from him. So that party happened around 2006. And I should note that Miller has repeatedly denied that he pushed her.
But ultimately, Anderson, these decades old claims are coming within the context of a broader pattern of alleged behavior from the congressman. And that's why there's heightened scrutiny right now.
COOPER: I mentioned the allegations from millers ex-wife. She is not the only woman who has accused him of abusive behavior. What else can you tell us?
GORDON: That's right. So, in 2021, Miller was accused of physical abuse while in a relationship with former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham. He has denied ever abusing her and sued her for defamation shortly after she published an op-ed in "The Washington Post". So, I reached out to Miller, and he did not respond to my request for comment on this story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: As Allison said, CNN has reached out to Congressman Miller for comment. Did not receive a reply. However, he has consistently denied allegations of abuse by the women who have accused him. When contacted by "The Washington Post" in 2018 about some of the charges that Allison spoke of related to drinking and disorderly conduct, Miller told the post, quote, "growing up, everyone makes mistakes. Who I was in the past is not who I am now."
Happening today, jury selection continues for a third day in the murder trial of rapper Tupac Shakur. Now yesterday, after being questioned, 12 more possible jurors were asked to return tomorrow. Sixty-three-year-old Duane "Keefe D" Davis is charged with first degree murder for allegedly plotting Shakur's 1996 killing in Las Vegas. Davis is pleaded not guilty. Jury selection is expected to continue through tomorrow.
New York judge has set out the schedule and some parameters for Luigi Mangione state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks, starting with jury selection on September 8th.
CNN's Kara Scannell has the latest on the case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Luigi Mangione is back in court for his final pretrial conference, where he goes on trial for allegedly murdering the UnitedHealthcare CEO in December 2024.
At the hearing, the judge gave some direction on jury selection. He said that this jury in the case would be anonymous, meaning the public will not know the identities of the jurors who were selected. He also said that both sides should come together and come up with a bunch of questions that they want to ask the prospective jurors, and let them know where they agree and where they disagree. The judge also noted the intense media interest in this case.
He said that there was been expressions of interest from more than 80 news organizations and media figures, and so there will be an overflow courtroom where members of the media and the public can come and watch the proceedings, where there will be audio and visual video of what's happening inside the courtroom.
All of this leading up to jury selection beginning on September 8th, just a few weeks away. If Mangione is convicted, he could face as much as life in prison. He has pleaded not guilty.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Thank you, Kara.
Lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, including this:
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[05:10:00]
SMITH: A baby pulled from the rubble of the earthquake in Colombia. More on this amazing rescue.
And could a former Olympian face a new charge related to the reflecting pool in D.C.? The latest case and twist in that case.
And someone had a very bad day. The story behind this big mess that is coming up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SMITH: The mother of a woman found hanging from a tree is shining light on her daughter's final days. She tells CNN affiliate WAPT that the 29-year-old was not suicidal.
[05:15:02]
Here's what we know about the investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REPORTER: A community is searching for answers after police found Tasia Fortune hanging from a tree in Mississippi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are talking about, you know, hate and more violence. And I don't want my daughter's name to be affiliated with that.
REPORTER: Police say the 29-year-old's body was discovered outside an abandoned house in early August. Authorities haven't said if they consider her death suspicious, but say they're working to determine the circumstances.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When incidents like this pop up, the natural conclusion is, oh, there's something very heinous and that harkens back to our past. That's a part of this. I'm not sure that's the case at this point.
REPORTER: Fortune's family told CNN affiliate WAPT that Tasia was not suicidal and that she, quote, "loved living life". The city's mayor says Fortune's autopsy results could be released on Thursday as questions continue to swirl around her death.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is something that that's a very disturbing situation in case in our city and in our state, but we're not going to jump to conclusions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: God didn't put us here to be done that way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: The Department of Justice is reportedly trying to revive the Reflecting Pool vandalism case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn. The case was dropped last week. According to "The Wall Street Journal", Attorney General Todd Blanche asked the DOJ to consider prosecuting Hearn with misdemeanor charges instead of vandalism. The last case was thrown out after the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Prro, determined the damage was not caused by vandalism, but a, quote, "hasty and botched renovation job," a move president Trump has heavily criticized.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, psychiatric nurse testifies in the case of a woman accused of killing her three young children. More on what came out in court in that high profile trial.
And a total solar eclipse is coming today. So, who's going to get to see the big show in the sky? Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:21:41]
SMITH: An Arkansas state trooper is under investigation after video of a traffic stop shows him taking down an 18-year-old Black woman and punching her in the face. According to a state police report, she was stopped for speeding and driving with her hazards on.
CNN affiliate KTHV's Kathryn Rowley walks us through what happened. We do want to warn you that parts of the video and the audio may be disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STATE TROOPER: What's the emergency?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Window is broke. KATHRYN ROWLEY, KHTV REPORTER (voice-over): Arellano wrote that he
could see a cold bottle of liquor in the car.
STATE TROOPER: Are you trying to go to jail, aren't you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never stopped. I wasn't even stunned. The alcohol --
ROWLEY (voice-over): While writing citations, Arellano called his sergeant, who had stopped Hackett days earlier. Arellano wrote that the trooper had told him that Hackett had an open container of alcohol during that stop earlier. After that call, Arellano wrote that he decided a citation would not be enough and moved to arrest Hackett.
STATE TROOPER: She got an attitude. Take her to jail.
STATE TROOPER: Okay. All right, we'll do that.
ROWLEY (voice-over): The video shows Hackett asking why she is under arrest before the encounter escalates.
STATE TROOPER: Let me get your left hand real quick. Your left hand real quick. Do not look, do not resist, do not resist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I need to call my mom.
STATE TROOPER: No, no, stop! Stop!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What am I doing? Oh, no!
STATE TROOPER: Stop!
ROWLEY (voice-over): About 10 seconds later, while he is kneeling over her, the video shows him punching Hackett in the face.
STATE TROOPER: Turn around. Turn around. Turn around, turn around.
ROWLEY (voice-over): In his use of force. Report, Arellano acknowledged that he delivered what he called one closed fist strike to the left side of Hackett's face. During the struggle, Hackett cried for help, asking to call her mother, and tells the trooper he cannot punch her.
STATE TROOPER: To the wall.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You cannot punch me.
ROWLEY (voice-over): The video also shows Arellano drawing his taser and warning Hackett he will punch her again if she does not turn over. He does not fire the taser.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Hackett faces multiple charges and there are now calls for an investigation into use of force. Arkansas state police saying that the officer has not been placed on administrative leave, and it's conducting an internal use of force review.
Members of Montana's national guard are now in Washington state to help fight those massive wildfires. Montana's governor signed an executive order last week to mobilize the guard, and a crew will be using a Chinook helicopter to drop water on the flames. Guard members are expected to stay in Washington for about 15 days. This has been one of the worst fire seasons in the state's history.
Meanwhile, Canadian officials are fighting to contain four major wildfires. The flames have forced about 20,000 people to evacuate their homes. British Columbia has secured 1,600 hotel rooms, but officials fear more might be needed if the fires continue raging. Forecasters say that there's a chance of rain, which could help crews on the fire lines over the next few days.
Straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, Senator Darline Graham is heading into a runoff after yesterday's primary in South Carolina. How she honored her late brother, Lindsey Graham, after the election.
[05:25:03]
And a former marine held in Russia, is now back in the United States. We've got more on his release coming up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SMITH: It is half past the hour.
Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories here.
President Trump is speaking out about the secret plane. That switch that took place in Turkey last month, prompted by an Iranian assassination threat
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It was really, as per the military.
