Return to Transcripts main page

The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Arson Arrest Made in Connection with Spokane Wildfire; Michigan to Vote in Primaries for Governor and Senate; Trump Defends Todd Blanche, Denies Seeing Deal to Rescind Fund; Trump "Furious" with Jeanine Pirro's Reflecting Pool Filing; Tom Selleck Reflects on Life, Acting Career, Politics. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired August 04, 2026 - 00:00   ET

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

[00:00:51]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Elex Michaelson in Los Angeles.

And we begin with breaking news. An arson arrest has just been made in Washington state in connection with one of the three major wildfires burning in Spokane County. Those fires have been burning out of control since they broke out over the weekend. Hundreds of homes are destroyed. Nearly 65,000 people have been forced to evacuate.

With us live now is the governor of Washington state, Bob Ferguson.

Governor, thanks for being with us. What can you tell us about this arrest?

GOV. BOB FERGUSON, WASHINGTON: So this is literally breaking news just in the last couple hours. And, you know, it's arson. The individual we understand does have a criminal record. And it just takes a tragic situation, just makes it more heartbreaking to think that much of this damage could have been caused by an individual doing this on purpose. So it's -- it adds to a really challenging situation.

MICHAELSON: So the arrest is 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci, a convicted felon. And you understand that folks nearby saw him potentially? You know, tell us about what you've learned.

FERGUSON: Yes, our understanding is, and this is -- I want to be very clear. Late-breaking development, but the understanding is that individuals saw him acting suspicious and then there was smoke a few minutes after that. Police obviously, you know, did their work and running aground, that probable cause, that type of thing. An arrest was made and an announcement was made in Spokane, literally just a couple hours ago announcing this arrest.

So this, of course, has been a big focus, is what caused the fire. And I appreciate the hard work of law enforcement to make this arrest.

MICHAELSON: You touched on this a little bit, but I just want to dig into it more. You have been out there, you've seen the damage, you've talked to the victims. The thought for you that it is possible that someone started this intentionally, how do you comprehend that? How do you think about that?

FERGUSON: Well, I mean, it's -- I've been thinking about that for the past couple hours because, you know, we all just got that news and it is -- I just -- if I was someone who lost everything, my home and everything, to think that this happened intentionally by an individual, that it wasn't because of a lightning strike or, you know, caused by nature in some way, I just have to believe it adds to the absolute anguish that so many Washingtonians are experiencing.

And just to be clear, just so your viewers are aware, these are neighborhoods right in the city of Spokane, and these are entire neighborhoods where, to look at the images, and you have images on CNN, by the way, it looks like a bomb went off. It's been described by many as looking like a war zone. And that's the only way to describe it. So these are just neighborhoods right in the city, totally wiped out in a space of just a few hours. So it's a very dire situation for many, many individuals.

MICHAELSON: Do you have an update on the 14 people who called emergency services but are still unreachable?

FERGUSON: Yes. I was at a press conference earlier today in Spokane. And so just to be very clear about that, so first responders are doing a fantastic job of just following up on everybody who reached out during these really chaotic hours when this fire just engulfed these communities. And so what they are doing is systematically going through and contacting individuals who reached out to them to make sure they're safe.

So what they've said is they're not describing these people as missing, but they are trying to reach them. So the person may not be responding because their cell phone is dead, or they found safety and simply haven't returned the phone call. So there are 14 individuals they're just trying to track down. And so we just emphasize, not missing, but we do want to hear from them to make sure that they are OK.

[00:05:00]

So right now, at this stage, there's no confirmed deaths at this point. But, you know, I remain concerned because I know these neighborhoods well. When I go to Spokane to visit, I don't stay in a hotel. I stay in a home that is literally within a mile of where the fires were. That home had to be evacuated. Thankfully it's OK. I've walked those neighborhoods. It's devastating there.

MICHAELSON: I know you said earlier tonight that you had a good conversation with President Trump. You've been coordinating with the federal government. Do you feel like you have everything you need right now in the days ahead? What are you most concerned about, especially as the weather is expected to get worse over the next few days?

FERGUSON: I mean, I think what I would say is that you never feel as a governor in a situation like this, that you have everything. What I can say is everybody is mobilizing all their efforts as quickly as humanly possible. That's at the local level, the state level and the federal level. So we feel optimistic about getting the resources we need. We're doing everything we can to make sure we have personnel.

We appreciate the help from other states who have offered to send folks. So it's all hands on deck to get as many resources flowing in there as absolutely quickly as possible. So we're working hard to make sure that happens.

MICHAELSON: And lastly, my colleague Julia Vargas Jones is reporting from Spokane, and she spoke to a family. We just showed them some video of them a short time ago. I want to play for you part of that conversation. Listen.

FERGUSON: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY ZIMMER, LOST HOME IN SPOKANE WILDFIRE: When you close your eyes and think about the house, you think about the garden. You think about all the family and friends that have been here and the great times. But luckily, Jim took photos of every single room before we left. So we can see that and really remember everything. Yes, I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: It's just heartbreaking to see that homeowner who lost everything. And of course, she is not alone. What do you say, as the governor, as the leader of this state, to folks who are going through that situation right now, who have lost everything, are in a state of shock?

FERGUSON: Well, first, I'll say is I've been in eastern Washington for the last two days. I just got home a very brief time ago. So I'm in my home with my kids here and my wife. And so, you know, I think anyone who has a home and has those memories can relate absolutely what, you know, that individual had to say. So what I would say to them and to everybody is, you know, we understand we're in for the long haul for this, that folks are hurting in very deep ways, tremendously traumatic experience, losing everything.

The trauma that comes with that, the memories, all that, and so much more. And so we are coordinating at every level of government. We're doing everything we can, and we're in for the long haul to make sure they get the assistance that they need.

MICHAELSON: Governor, thank you for being with us at the end of a long day and for helping us break that news here on CNN. We appreciate it.

We'll go back live to the scene throughout the next couple hours and throughout the next week to try to get everybody the assistance that they need. But we're thinking about all the folks in Washington state right now. Thank you.

FERGUSON: Thank you very much.

MICHAELSON: And it is not just Washington. Firefighters in Oregon are battling their own devastating wildfires as well. Roughly two million acres have burned there, shattering the state's previous wildfire record. Dozens of fires still active across the state. One you see right here, the Rowe Creek Complex Fire in central Oregon is one of the largest in the state this year. It has burned more than 320,000 acres. At last check, that fire was 60 percent contained.

Now, to what could be the biggest story of the day ahead, Michigan residents heading to the polls for two major primaries in the next few hours. There's an open race for governor, but it is the Democratic Senate primary that is getting the most attention. Front runners Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Congressmember Haley Stevens neck and neck heading into primary day, depending on the polls. Some show El-Sayed ahead. They each attended events just hours ago in a last ditch effort to attract any undecided voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY STEVENS, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE: There is a reason why Republicans are already spending thousands and thousands of dollars meddling in this primary, trying to maybe get their preferred candidate. Look, when it comes to Michigan, I run through anyone and anything to stand up for us.

ABDUL EL-SAYED, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE: This movement of ours has proven that it can come through $80 million of spending in lies because we're willing to hold with us the truth. We're willing to do that thing that democracy is built on, which is having the conversations eye to eye with your neighbor about who we are and who we want to be, what we want for our America.

The work is not over. We don't know what the votes will say. Hell, I feel pretty good about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[00:10:03]

MICHAELSON: CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein is just back from a reporting trip to Michigan and joins me live right now.

Welcome back to THE STORY IS.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hey, Elex.

MICHAELSON: We want to put on the screen what you just wrote as an opinion columnist for Bloomberg. This is the headline. "Michigan Could be Progressives' Biggest Prize and Regret." What do you mean by that?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, so it's been a good season for progressives, the left flank of the Democratic Party in primaries this year, but mostly their gains have come in safe blue areas like the three New York districts that the Mamdani-backed candidates won in the primaries last month. Michigan is so -- is getting so much attention and is so important precisely because it is one of the few places that will be competitive in November, that the left has a chance to win.

And I think most people in Michigan agree that El-Sayed is the favorite, strong favorite going into the voting tomorrow. So it is going to give the left a burst of momentum if he does win this nomination tomorrow. But, you know, November is not that far away. And if you ask experts in Michigan, the last time Democrats nominated a candidate this liberal much less elected a candidate this liberal statewide in a general election, I mean, the answer is pretty much never.

So, you know, the question -- you know, on the one hand, a win for El- Sayed will show that the left can win Democratic primaries anywhere. But he still has to win a general election. And even some of his supporters in the Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders camp recognize that there's an awful lot riding in November on his being able to win because they have long made the argument that if you put up an economic populist, we can win back these blue collar voters in these swing states. This may be the biggest test of that argument yet.

MICHAELSON: Yes. I've been a political reporter for nearly 20 years, and I've found that the vibe on the ground can sometimes be different than the national conventional wisdom. You've now spent a lot of time on the ground. What's the vibe? What are people saying to you off camera?

BROWNSTEIN: Yes, well, you know, look, I think this race is dividing Democrats along the lines we have seen in all of these other primaries this year. And by the way, you know, I've been covering politics for a long time, too. And this is by far the most stories I've ever written about Democratic primaries, as well as some of those Republican primaries. I mean, we are seeing just kind of a systemic conflict within each party.

There's another Democratic Congress member, Thanedar in Detroit, who might lose tomorrow. If he loses his primary it will be the most incumbents who have lost in a non-reapportionment year since 1970. So there's a lot happening. There's a lot of unrest in each party, but, you know, you do see the same basic divide here as we've seen elsewhere where even though El-Sayed, you know, is running as a Bernie style populist and working class hero, he's relying mostly on college educated voters and young people.

I mean, what are the numbers going to be like tomorrow in Ann Arbor and the county around that? Whereas Stevens is relying more on kind of the, you know, the older Democratic coalition. Seniors, black voters, non-college whites. And that, you know, each side really questions the ability of the other to win. Maybe the most striking thing I heard all weekend was that a black church on Saturday afternoon, a meeting of Al Sharpton's National Action Network and the minister excoriated El- Sayed in his remarks and basically said he's more worried about Palestine than he is about Detroit, more worried about Gaza than he is about 14th and Marquette.

You know, on the other side, a lot of young people view Stevens as a sellout to AIPAC and corporate interests. So either way, Democrats are going to have a lot of knitting together to do to hold this must-win seat in November.

MICHAELSON: Stevens' coalition has traditionally voted in larger numbers than El-Sayed's coalition. We will see if that is true once again tomorrow.

Ron, you're going to be with us on set, breaking down the numbers as they come in. We'll see you tomorrow here on THE STORY IS. It's going to be quite a story to follow. Thanks for being with us tonight.

BROWNSTEIN: Real quick. The one quick twist is he has college educated voters who are usually a bigger portion of these primaries, and that might help offset young people not showing up.

MICHAELSON: We'll see. You'll be the guy to guide us.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

MICHAELSON: Thanks so much, Ron.

It is just after 7:30 in the morning on Tuesday in Tehran right now. And as Iranian leaders are waking up, President Trump is warning them that they have a last chance to sign a deal with the U.S. to end the war. But the president says there are no time constraints on negotiations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: This is at least the fifth time you've turned off airstrikes against Iran since April to negotiate.

[00:15:01]

What is your message to the American people who are wondering what has changed this time? Why should it be any different?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, you don't know, I don't know. I think we're going to maybe get something, but I want to give them every last chance before decapitation. Very tough to do what we have planned. Still planned. We'll see what happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: President Trump also went after Iran's leadership, calling them, quote, "unbelievably duplicitous." All that comes after Tehran contradicted his claim that negotiations would resume on Monday. Iran's Foreign Ministry says it's focused only on negotiations with Oman about the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran says the two countries are in talks to establish a safe, temporary route for vessels through that critical waterway.

Earlier, a U.K. Maritime Organization reported another tanker was struck in that strait. A cargo vessel made a distress call, saying it was hit by an unknown projectile off the coast of Oman.

Could a court filing lead to President Trump firing a longtime cable news host who now works for him? Coming up, why the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has the U.S. attorney for D.C. in hot water? Our political panel weighs in, featuring former Trump and Biden staffers standing by live. And later, why Spain's migrant crisis is turning into Europe's latest political flashpoint.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:20:51]

MICHAELSON: The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday for a potential vote on Todd Blanche, President Trump's pick for attorney general. Blanche's confirmation is now likely to advance after he formally rescinded President Trump's so-called Anti- Weaponization Fund on Sunday. That move came after two key Republican senators threatened to withhold their votes until there was written assurance that the program was dead.

Senator John Cornyn's office confirmed a deal was reached with the Justice Department to formally terminate that program. Sources familiar with the matter tell CNN the White House was deeply involved in those negotiations. But on Monday, President Trump denied seeing the details of the deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President, did you sign off on Todd Blanche rescinding --

TRUMP: I didn't look at it. All I know is that Todd Blanche is great. He's going to do a great job. Everybody knows it. And I understand there's been a sign off, but I don't know what they agreed. I think Todd Blanche had agreed to reconfirm things that he's already said. And what he said was OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: During that same exchange with reporters, the president also blasted the U.S. attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, as sources tell CNN he is now considering firing her. This after Pirro's decision to drop charges against several people the president claimed vandalized the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In a court filing, Pirro's office concluded that the issues with the pool stemmed from a flawed renovation. A source tells CNN that decision blindsided President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: It looked beautiful, and then they cut it and they vandalized. And we weren't necessarily thrilled with the contractor. The judge was extremely unfriendly to Jeanine. And frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious. Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her. Really disappointed with Jeanine Pirro. She, uh, she folded like an umbrella.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Now, following those remarks, a source confirmed that President Trump met with Pirro as well as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum at the White House. Sources say Pirro was not fired at that meeting, nor did she resign.

Joining me now for more on all of this is the founder and principal of Pebble Beach Press, Lucas Acosta. He was the deputy -- and the deputy communications aide for President Trump's 2024 campaign, Caroline Sunshine.

Lucas, it's your first time with us here. You previously worked for the DNC. You worked in the Biden White House, doing communications. It's great to have you along. And Caroline, great to have you back. Of course, doing communications work for the Trump White House.

So, Caroline, let's start with you as somebody who knows the way that President Trump thinks. And what do you make of what's going on with Jeanine Pirro? Is this -- is he really angry or is this sort of, I need to say this, but I'm really -- we know what's going on here?

CAROLINE SUNSHINE, DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, TRUMP 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Yes, I think it's a little bit of theater. You know, the president and Jeanine go way back. They've known each other for several decades. So it's hard to believe that she would make this move without having calculated out the chess of what comes after. But I did hear genuine anger in the president's voice.

And there is always a fine line when you can tell when it's an act, and then when it's genuine, you know? But I think it's a good move. It's a good offramp, you know? The American people, they're not going to be too worried about this two days from now. They want to see the president get back to get out of this war. We could leave tomorrow and it would be great. They want to see us get back to talking about Trump accounts. They want to see us get back to the mass deportations. Keep the message and the focus on all of that.

MICHAELSON: But we know that President Trump is not one to say, I'm sorry or I was wrong. So this concept of what Jeanine --

SUNSHINE: Who does like to say that?

MICHAELSON: Jeanine -- well, some people say it a little more than he does. You know, talk about why what she did is such a problem for him.

SUNSHINE: Well, I think the president does not like to project weakness of any kind. He only respects strength.

[00:25:01]

And whether or not he thinks she was right or wrong, if he thinks, which in that clip, I kind of -- like I said, it's a fine line. If he thinks that she projected weakness, it matters less if her decision was right or wrong, and more about the projection of that.

I will say we live in a country where you're innocent until proven guilty. And what I don't like seeing is there was so much media attention around this story when it first came out. Now that we live in a country where the burden of proof is always on the government to prove your guilt. Now that it looks like justice is clearly being served because the government has come back and basically said we don't have enough burden of proof to prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, where's the cheering?

The Trump administration took so much criticism for this case. Now that it clearly looks like there's justice that, to be honest with you, wasn't really given to a lot of people on January 6th who got delayed trials and I think overly harsh sentences. And the Supreme Court said as much in their 2024 decision that that was an overly broad application of the law.

MICHAELSON: That's a whole -- that's a whole other thing, which we're not going to get into all that tonight. But --

(CROSSTALK)

LUCAS ACOSTA, FORMER DIRECTOR OF BROADCAST MEDIA UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN: They're not cheering because there isn't an actual accomplishment here. What Jeanine Pirro is doing and what this White House is doing is putting the full weight of the DOJ and the full weight of the White House against an individual who is clearly innocent and has been proven so. And this president just won't forget it.

SUNSHINE: But they just have more evidence. That's not what happened at all. I mean, the DOJ said we think we have a case against this guy. We think we have footage. I've seen the video clip online of the guy putting his hand into the thing. When I saw the video clip, I thought, you know what, they might have a case. Now the DOJ has said, look, there are documents that we didn't have from the Department of Interior. And now that we have those new documents, we're changing our case. That's exactly -- that's justice being served.

MICHAELSON: And Lucas, here's a clip of some of what Jeanine Pirro said before today. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did he have any tools or was it just his bare hands?

JEANINE PIRRO, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Right now, we believe it's his bare hands. Both hands.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Does that indicate in your belief that it was probably damaged before, or do you believe that he --

PIRRO: Oh, he damaged it.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Further. But do you believe it had already been damaged before?

PIRRO: He damaged the pool.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Before he touched it?

PIRRO: He damaged this pool.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: I mean, what does this do to her credibility?

ACOSTA: I mean, she never had credibility to begin with. But the longer that we're talking about the Reflecting Pool, and the longer that the president is focused on this, the less time that he's spending helping elect like Republicans up and down the ballot. And so I am going to allow him to continue to waste his time and mental attention on whatever renovation exists and whatever he wants to do with this ballroom because we're focused on winning races.

MICHAELSON: How would this have been handled differently in a Biden administration?

ACOSTA: Well, you would have never heard the president talking about an individual case from a U.S. attorney. He believed --

SUNSHINE: Or to the press.

(LAUGHTER)

ACOSTA: He believed in the independence of the DOJ. I mean, we see now Trump's former personal attorney up for a permanent position as his attorney general.

MICHAELSON: Yes. And I know --

ACOSTA: Would have never happened in the Biden administration.

MICHAELSON: There's plenty of Democrats who are frustrated that Merrick Garland didn't do more as attorney general, maybe to prosecute folks as well.

So let's talk about Todd Blanche a little bit and where we're at. John Cornyn, the senator from Texas, who it -- was not endorsed by President Trump in the primary so he's not coming back in January because of that. He tried to make a deal so that the Anti- Weaponization Fund would be gone. Here's what John Cornyn said today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Senator, do you trust Todd Blanche's word that he's not going to try to come up with some other way to reinstate this fund or some other means of doing this?

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): I think he knows that would be a monumental mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Do you trust it?

ACOSTA: I mean, it's clear that Republicans and Senators Cornyn and Tillis are raising a mission accomplished banner when there's been nothing accomplished here. I mean, what we've seen in these documents, one even hasn't been signed by Blanche, is essentially a pinky promise that will mean nothing in two weeks. There's nothing stopping them from finding any sort of legal mechanism, whether it's via the recreation of this fund or other mechanisms in the government to put money in the hands of insurrectionists. If they actually want to say they accomplished the mission, they should be still voting no.

MICHAELSON: Does this feel a little bit, Caroline, like when Susan Collins said that she felt good about Brett Kavanaugh not overturning Roe v. Wade, and then she gave him the job and then he did it anyways? I mean, is this just sort of like, OK?

SUNSHINE: You know, I don't know. But what I do know is, boy, has this Republican Senate been a disappointment. You know, I mean, so many of these people were elected and rode in on President Trump's coattails and what I'm seeing play out in the Senate with everything beginning back with them saying, you know, we're not going to confirm Bill Pulte now with all these strings attached with Blanche's nomination, is that the Republican establishment is still very powerful and alive and well.

And that's a big problem for Republican voters who are not aligned with those priorities at all. The Anti-Weaponization Fund, why on earth would we take a knee on that or make that contingency?

The Anti-Weaponization Fund, to be clear, happened because Donald J. Trump had his tax returns leaked by an IRS agent who pled guilty. That's -- that's an illegal act. That's a felony charge.

[00:30:20]

And the DOJ had to apologize to the president. And instead of paying him, created this fund. And there's legal precedent for the fund.

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Do you think the guy at the Reflecting Pool who was charged, should he be paid out of the anti-weaponization fund?

SUNSHINE: How great would that be?

MICHAELSON: OK.

SUNSHINE: Why not? It's open to all Americans. Sure.

MICHAELSON: Lucas, Caroline, you guys are sticking around. In the next hour, you're going to talk about the Michigan primary, which is going to be really interesting in the day ahead. Thank you both for being here.

New evidence is shedding light on Lindsay Clancy's mental state in the days after killing her three children. Ahead, we'll have the latest testimony from a Massachusetts courtroom with an investigator and a psychiatrist talking about Clancy's postpartum psychosis claims.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:34:32]

MICHAELSON: A court in Massachusetts heard new testimony Monday in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, specifically about her mental state in the days after she killed her three kids.

Clancy has admitted to the killings in January of 2023, but she's pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, saying she was hearing voices pressuring her to act.

Prosecutors say she acted intentionally, while her defense argues she was suffering from postpartum psychosis. A psychiatrist testified that Clancy was calm and cooperative during her hospital evaluation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You did a mental status examination of her while you were doing this evaluation about her decision-making capacity, correct?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And it's fair to say under mood, you listed, "OK"?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That you listed her thought process as "organized, goal-directed." Is that correct?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You asked her if she was having hallucinations or delusions and she, other than those initial ones the first day, she denied those.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: During my evaluation, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And she also denied suicidal intent and homicidal intent. Correct?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Investigators also described finding notebooks, tracking medications Clancy was taking to manage insomnia and anxiety, as well as several books about postpartum depression and intrusive thoughts.

Jurors also heard diary entries Clancy wrote, describing her struggles with mental health and her desire to get help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEVIN REDDINGTON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR LINDSAY CLANCY: "I now have horrible insomnia and anxiety, which is causing depression. I have no appetite. I don't know what's wrong with me. I want help. I want to be well."

You saw that in there, didn't you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

REDDINGTON: She wrote that, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct.

REDDINGTON: She wrote, "I have crazy brain fog. I feel like I can't make a plan. I can't carry it out. Like, I just live moment to moment, waiting for the next nap time. I'm terrified of Cal getting overtired now, because I feel I can't help him." She wrote that, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Witnesses in the coming days could shed more light on the mental health issues at the heart of this case.

In the coming hours, European Union interior ministers will hold an emergency meeting to address Spain's migrant crisis and the political backlash that has followed.

On Thursday, some 60,000 people made that dangerous crossing from Morocco into Spain's North African territory of Ceuta. At least 72 people were killed. Some drowned as they tried to swim to the tiny enclave, and some were trampled by rushing crowds.

Spain says most of those migrants returned to Morocco within 48 hours, but an estimated 2,000 people remain and are now receiving humanitarian aid, including food and water.

Aid workers say many of those remain are asylum seekers fleeing war and poverty in Sudan, Mali, and Yemen.

But the chaotic border crossing has sparked a political crisis in Europe, with far-right anti-immigration politicians calling it an invasion, and leaders of some countries, including Italy, threatening to tighten border security.

A 41-year-old Salvadoran man in ICE custody has died in a hospital in Newark, New Jersey, after suffering a medical emergency at the Delaney Hall detention facility.

The ICE facility has been under intense scrutiny for its treatment of detainees, with protests at the site and a state lawsuit filed against its operators.

The man had previously been deported to El Salvador in 2006, but later reentered the U.S. ICE arrested him on June 18. He was being held at Delaney Hall pending removal under his previous deportation orders.

His cause of death is still pending. A couple who were brought to the U.S. as children have made the

grueling decision to leave the only homes they've ever known to escape what they describe as persecution from the Trump administration's harsh immigration policies.

The Dominguez family, including their four U.S.-born children, are now adjusting to life in Mexico, and that transition has not been easy, as CNN's Carolina Peguero shows us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With songs and prayers, this young Mexican couple of pastors held their final church service in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

[00:40:06]

Months later, from their kitchen table of their new home in Morelos, Mexico, Abdiel and Darlina Dominguez share why they decided to leave the United States.

ABDIEL DOMINGUEZ, BROUGHT TO U.S. AS A CHILD: It's one thing to say were going to move to another city and another thing to say we're going to move to another state.

But then to move to another country, it's -- it's a big, big move. So, we prayed a lot. We -- we asked God for guidance.

PEGUERO (voice-over): In the last year, the Dominguez family says that, along with their community, they have been targeted by the Trump administration and its anti-immigration policies.

ADILENE DOMINGUEZ, BROUGHT TO U.S. AS CHILD: That wasn't just us. It was thousands of other families that were going through the same things.

PEGUERO: Yes.

ABDIEL DOMINGUEZ: Just the fear that paralyzed the -- the whole state, the whole country, I think. They felt the fear, the feel -- the fear that we were fearing.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Both DREAMer recipients say their resources and livelihood became limited, because they couldn't work or go out. Together with their four children, they felt trapped in their own home.

ADILENE DOMINGUEZ: They saw a lot of parents being taken away. And so, that's why they agreed with also coming. And so, there's a song that I sing to my son every night and it's, "You are my sunshine, my little sunshine." You know, "Please don't take my sunshine away."

And so, singing that song, it's like it has a deeper meaning now, because that's -- singing that song there, it was just like, I didn't want them to take them away. PEGUERO (voice-over): They drove several hours to the Chicago airport,

accompanied by loved ones, so they could give them their final goodbyes.

Now in Mexico, they still haven't been able to adjust to their new life.

ABDIEL DOMINGUEZ: Like in "The Wizard of Oz," you know. Like when she said, you're no longer -- I think she says, "You're no longer in Kansas," you know, or, or something like that. We feel like we're -- we're -- we're somewhere down South. The U.S., you know, living in a small-town border.

But we just -- we just got to keep busy, keep our kids busy. And just trust in God, you know, and know that God has -- has good things for us, better things for us.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Carolina Peguero, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Cuban officials are working to restore power after the island was again plunged into darkness. But the nation's utility provider says thunderstorms and a power fluctuation are making all that harder.

Sunday's power grid shutdown was the sixth blackout this year. Cuba's aging infrastructure is largely to blame, but a U.S. Blockade on the oil that Cuba needs to power its system continues. To make matters worse.

After the break, my interview with legendary actor Tom Selleck. We'll talk life, politics, and how his decades-long career almost took a very different turn. The big role that he didn't get. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:42:35]

MICHAELSON: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

A man now in custody, accused of deliberately setting one of three major wildfires burning in Spokane County, Washington. Those fires have been burning out of control since Saturday.

Officials say more than 700 structures have been destroyed. Many homes are among them. Nearly 65,000 people have been forced to evacuate.

The newly confirmed director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, officially sworn in on Monday. Clayton now inherits a shrinking office and weakened authority within the U.S. intelligence community.

He replaces acting director Bill Pulte, who oversaw sweeping staff cuts ordered by President Trump during his 40-day tenure. For the first time, the multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak has been --

has turned deadly. Two people in Michigan have died from the intestinal illness, which causes dramatic stomach upset and can lead to severe dehydration.

Death -- deaths are typically rare, but officials say both victims had underlying health conditions.

More than 18,000 cases have been reported in the U.S. Legendary Hollywood actor Tom Selleck rarely gives interviews, but he recently sat down with us for an exclusive conversation about his legendary career. Politics, and American history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: What do you think? Is the state of our country right now?

TOM SELLECK, ACTOR: In the state of flux.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Actor Tom Selleck is known for iconic roles on "Magnum P.I."

SELLECK: Our NYPD family.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Blue Bloods."

SELLECK: Hi, Phoebe, nice to meet you.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Friends."

SELLECK: Just hold her.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Three Men and a Baby" and more.

He's also a military veteran that's been passionate about politics for decades, including a close relationship with Americas 40th president.

SELLECK: Ronald Reagan said freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): We joined Selleck for a tour of Reagan's Presidential Library in Simi Valley, now showcasing a special exhibit on America's 250th birthday, filled with artifacts from the American Revolution, including a copy of the Declaration of Independence.

SELLECK: Signing your name to that document was, in essence, in failure, a death warrant.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Tom recently narrated a documentary for Hillsdale College called "Revolutionary America."

SELLECK: And what kind of a people would risk everything for their principles?

MICHAELSON (voice-over): They screened it in front of a massive crowd at the Reagan Library... SELLECK: I never considered the stakes.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): -- under the nose of Reagan's Air Force One.

SELLECK: Well, my favorite president is President Reagan.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck, one of many actors close with the Reagans, who were once actors themselves.

SELLECK: I think they walked their talk.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): The Reagans once invited Selleck to an evening of dinner and dancing with Princess Diana at the White House.

SELLECK: She was having the time of her life.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Actor John Travolta started dancing with the married royal.

SELLECK: This woman comes over, a British woman and she says, "This is terrible. Mr. Travolta's dancing a second dance with the princess. We don't want to start any rumors. You must cut in."

And you know, John Travolta -- there were people that were in a circle clapping, and they were rocking out. And I said, I'm not cutting in.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Eventually, Selleck danced with both Diana and his friend Nancy.

After Ronald Reagan died, Selleck would hand-deliver Nancy Reagan avocados from his farm to check up on her.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Because you loved her?

SELLECK: Yes.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck doesn't have the same personal relationship with the current Republican president, Donald Trump.

MICHAELSON: How do you feel about him and what he's doing?

SELLECK: Well, he's certainly a mixed bag. I stay out of the current political world. Why piss off half the country when you're in the business of entertaining people?

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck's signature role may be Thomas Magnum on the '80s TV show "Magnum P.I." After he filmed the pilot for that show, iconic filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas offered him the role of Indiana Jones before casting Harrison Ford.

SELLECK: They hand me the script and tell me, This is your part.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): CBS, who hadn't yet officially bought "Magnum," would not let him do it.

MICHAELSON: What was that like from your perspective? SELLECK: Well, it wasn't fun.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): For six weeks, Spielberg held the part for Selleck, but CBS wouldn't budge.

SELLECK: They thought if I did the picture, I'd find a way to get out of my contract, which I never would have done. So, it was -- it was OK. "Magnum" wasn't the worst thing.

SELLECK: Behind those trees. Put it down. I'll jump.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Magnum" lasted for eight seasons, earning Selleck an Emmy.

For 14 seasons, Selleck played NYPD commissioner, coincidentally named Reagan, on CBS's "Blue Bloods."

SELLECK: At ease. Gather round.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): He says playing Dwight Eisenhower in the 2004 film "Ike: Countdown to D-Day" inspired how he played Commissioner Reagan.

SELLECK: You may have the world on your shoulders, which Eisenhower certainly did, and so did Frank Reagan. He had this weight of responsibility on their shoulders. But you can't show stress.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): At age 81, Selleck isn't ready to retire from acting anytime soon.

MICHAELSON: What's next for you, career-wise?

SELLECK: I have no idea, but that's always the way.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): In terms of his legacy, Selleck says he's most proud of treating his coworkers with respect.

You learn very early on, you. You may not feel so good coming to work every day, but if you put on a happy face, you might feel a little better. And it affects everybody around you. And that's probably the legacy I hope I'm most remembered for.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: What a great legacy and what a treat to get to spend some time with Tom Selleck.

That documentary that Selleck narrated, "Revolutionary America," is streaming live right now for free on YouTube.

We'll have much more in the next hour on our big breaking news story, the Washington state wildfires. There is now an arson arrest in connection with one of them as the state battles its worst fire season in decades. We'll take you live to the scene. Plus, talk to somebody who unfortunately just lost her home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:58:44]

MICHAELSON: President Trump is heading west. A White House official tells CNN that Mr. Trump will be making stops here in Los Angeles and Las Vegas in the coming days.

On Tuesday, the president's set to appear at a Republican National Committee dinner at his Trump National Golf Club in Palos Verdes.

And then on Wednesday, the president is expected to deliver remarks on the economy at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas.

After a thrilling World Cup run, Cape Verde's team captain, veteran goalkeeper Vozinha is taking his talents to Chile.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROWD CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Look at the crowd that welcomed him in Santiago. He arrived over the weekend amid speculation that he was joining the country's largest club, Colo-Colo.

The team officially confirmed Vozinha's signing on Monday following his medical inspection.

The 40-year-old has locked down a six-month contract with options for a one-year extension. Local media suggest he will make his debut on the pitch later this month.

Thanks for watching the first hour of THE STORY IS. The next hour starts right now with breaking news.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS with Elex Michaelson.

MICHAELSON: I'm Elex Michaelson, live in Los Angeles. We start with breaking news.

THE STORY IS an arson arrest. Crews in the Northwest are hoping for a break from Mother Nature.