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EARLY START

Ivanka Sent Government Emails Via Personal Account; Judge Blocks Trump's Asylum Restrictions; Deadly Chicago Hospital Shooting; Women's March Founder Wants Co-Chairs Out; Police: 699 Unaccounted for in "Camp Fire". Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired November 20, 2018 - 04:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:37] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Don't expect any "lock her up" chants. Ivanka Trump used private e-mail hundreds of times to conduct business from the White House last year.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: And breaking overnight. A federal judge blocks the White House from restricting asylum claims from people who cross the border illegally.

ROMANS: Three people, including a police officer, gunned down in a Chicago hospital. The gunman knew one of the victims.

BRIGGS: And the founder of the Women's March wants the movement's co- chairs to step down. She says she allowed bigotry into the mission. Ties to Louis Farrakhan.

Welcome back to EARLY START, everybody. I'm Dave Briggs.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is 31 minutes past the hour.

In a twist that is ironic to say the least, Ivanka Trump last year sent hundreds of e-mails conducting White House business through a private e-mail account. That revelation based on emails released by a non-partisan watch dog group American Oversight. E-mails show Ivanka Trump used her personal account to e-mail cabinet officials and White House aides for much of 2017.

BRIGGS: People familiar with the matter tell "The Washington Post," the White House conducted an investigation into Ivanka's email usage. The probe was conducted and the probe found many e-mails were sent in violation of federal records laws which require preservation of all White House communications.

ROMANS: The president, of course, used Hillary Clinton's private e- mail use as a centerpiece his 2016 campaign. Remember this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She deleted the e- mails. She has to go to jail.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) (CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Lock her up, a refrain of 2016. Now, the White House had no comment. A spokesperson for Ivanka Trump's lawyer acknowledged, yes, she occasionally used her private e-mail before she was briefed on the rules. The spokesman for her attorney stressed that her email mail use was different from Secretary Clinton's.

BRIGGS: He said she did not create a private server in her house or office. No classified information was included. The account was never transferred or housed at Trump organization and no e-mails were ever deleted. The spokesman said Ivanka Trump handed over her e-mails over months ago so they can be stored permanently with other White House records.

ROMANS: Breaking overnight: A federal judge in California handing President Trump a defeat in the effort to block asylum claims by immigrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The new temporary restraining said the president may not rewrite immigration law to impose conditions forbidden by Congress.

BRIGGS: In his order, Judge Jon Tigar writes, asylum seekers are at increased risk of violence at the border and many deprived meritorious asylum claims. Quote: The government offers nothing in support of the new rule that outweighs the need to avoid these harms. Immigration advocates argue it is illegal to block asylum claims based on how an immigrant entered the country. The judge's order remains in force until the next hearing set for December 19th.

ROMANS: President Trump set to authorize U.S. troops on the border with Mexico to defend customs and border protection personnel from migrants who engaged in violence. Right now, troops are not allowed to protect border personnel unless they are acting on their own self defense. A homeland security official tells CNN any use of force to protect border personnel would have to be proportional.

Homeland security officials say multiple sources, including the Mexican government are telling them some migrant groups are discussing an incursion through traffic lines at California ports of entry. The general overseeing the troop deployment tells "Politico" the first troops will start heading home in the coming days before the majority of the caravan arrives.

BRIGGS: Later today, President Trump is expected to receive a full report on the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The president has been reluctant to implicate Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the killing, even though the CIA has already concluded he personally ordered the operation.

Senate Foreign Relations Chair Bob Corker, a Republican, insisting Congress will respond with additional pressure on Saudi Arabia if the Trump administration fails to name the crown prince in sanctions.

How are the Saudis reacting? Let's ask Jomana Karadsheh live this morning from Istanbul.

[04:35:01] Jomana, good morning.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave.

And it seems that Saudi officials are standing their ground, saying that the crown prince had nothing to do with the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in an interview with a Saudi-owned newspaper says he has seen the news reports that the CIA has reached a conclusion that the crown prince ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.

But he says that is not true. He says it is unfounded. Saudis do not believe this. And he says this is based on assessment. It's not based on conclusive or concrete evidence.

He goes on to say they are investigating, claimed they have taken action against a number of individuals. He says they are doing so not because the international community wants them to do that, it is because Khashoggi was a Saudi citizen. He goes on to say that the king and the crown prince are a red line. They will not allow anyone to undermine or harm them.

And, Dave, interestingly in what seems to be a message or sign that the kingdom is ready to move on and put this behind it. Some media reports indicating the crown prince will be attending the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month. A message, perhaps, that it's business as usual for the kingdom.

BRIGGS: Jomana Karadsheh live in Istanbul for us this morning. Thank you.

ROMANS: All right. President Trump is telling advisers that he may soon visit a combat zone for the first time in his presidency. That's according to "The Washington Post." The president has not made a visit to American service members in Iraq or Afghanistan.

BRIGGS: Current and former aides tell "The Washington Post" the president doesn't want to associate himself with wars he views as failures. "The Post" says Mr. Trump also cites the long flights and potential security risks as the reason he has avoided combat zone visits.

A former senior White House official says the president is, quote, afraid people want to kill him.

ROMANS: The president has often cast himself as a champion of the military, but he's standing by the claim that the U.S. -- the U.S. should have found Osama bin Laden sooner. He's actually blaming the very people who did find him for not doing it earlier.

His attack on retired Navy Admiral William McRaven, the architect of the raid, is not sitting well with former defense secretary and CIA chief, Leon Panetta. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEON PANETTA, FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We all enjoy free speech. That is what our democracy is all about. It doesn't mean the president ought to attack former heroes in a very personal way, people like John McCain and now Bill McRaven, because, frankly, it undermines any relationship he will have with the military as commander in chief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The Republican National Committee is backing the president's claim that Admiral McRaven was a Hillary backer, tweeting, it is worth noting McRaven was reportedly on Hillary Clinton's short list for vice president in 2016.

McRaven was on a list of dozens of possible V.P. nominees that Clinton's campaign chairman mentioned in an email. That email was hacked by Russia and made public by WikiLeaks.

ROMANS: And also McRaven was floated as a name for this administration. He is a high profile guy. Both parties were interested in recruiting him. He said he was not a Hillary Clinton backer.

BRIGGS: Apolitical.

ROMANS: Right.

All right. The Department of Justice is under fire for failing to turnover disclosures for Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. The watchdog group American Oversight is asking the U.S. Office of Government Ethics to investigate. Regulations require the DOJ to make the disclosures public. The department is not commenting.

On Monday, three Democratic senators filed a lawsuit challenging Whitaker's appointment, claiming it is unconstitutional rather because he has not faced Senate confirmation.

Meantime, chairman Carlos Ghosn, a legendary auto industry executive, arrested in Japan after an internal investigation revealed what they are calling significant acts of misconduct over many years by him and another top executive. Now, the stunning announcement ripped through a powerful global car alliance, slamming the stocks of Nissan and Renault where Ghosn also serves as chairman.

Nissan stock fell nearly 6 percent at the open of Tokyo trade. And Nikkei opened down more than 200 points, that more than 1 percent. Together with Japan's Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan and Renault make up the biggest global car-making alliance. They make one of every nine cars sold worldwide and employ hundreds of thousands of people.

This is the man at the helm. The three countries have employees in 200 countries. More details are expected to emerge in the coming days and weeks about Ghosn's alleged wrongdoing. Nissan said it included under reporting his compensation and misusing company assets.

CNN has not been able to reach Ghosn or Kelly, the other executive, or their representative for comment on these allegations.

[04:40:06] BRIGGS: Three people, including a police officer, killed by a gunman at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. A doctor, Tamara O'Neal, and a pharmaceutical assistant Dayna Less were also killed. Police say the gunman approached O'Neal in the hospital parking lot and shot her. The two had been in a relationship.

Police responded and followed the suspect inside the hospital where the shots were exchanged. Officer Samuel Jimenez, a father of three, was also killed. He joined the force just last year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDDIE T. JOHNSON, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: Those officers that responded today saved a lot of lives because this guy was just shooting -- that poor woman got off an elevator and nothing to do in that, and he shot her.

Why? There's no doubt in my mind that all of those officers that responded were heroes and they saved a lot of lives because we just don't know how much damage he was prepared to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Police say the gunman is dead. Not clear whether he was killed by police or a self inflicted gunshot wound.

Coming up, the latest on those California wildfires, and what would you do if you just had given birth and could not walk and your hospital was evacuated because of a wildfire? An amazing request from one new mother, next.

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[04:45:28] ROMANS: The number of people listed as unaccounted for in California's camp fire dropping dramatically. It had been nearly 1,000. The number now is 699. I mean, 699 people unaccounted for.

A very somber note. The remains of two more victims were discovered Monday, raising the camp fire death toll to 79. The fire is now 70 percent contained.

BRIGGS: Smoke from the blaze now causing delays and cancellations all the way to the San Francisco International Airport because of unhealthy air conditions and reduced visibility. The Butte County sheriff's department says two men have been charged with burglarizing a local fire department, while firefighters were battling the flames.

ROMANS: Wow, there is a special place in hell.

BRIGGS: Yes.

ROMANS: Terrifying new stories emerging of life or death situations. Rachelle Sanders gave birth via C-section at Adventist Health Feather River, a hospital in Paradise, California. A hospital employee trying to help her evacuate, but the flames were getting in the way of their car.

She's fleeing with the baby and a stranger, and she made this dramatic request.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACHELLE SANDERS, FORCED TO EVACUATE PARADISE HOSPITAL AFTER GIVING BIRTH: We are really unsure that we would be able to get out of there. And so, when that happened, he asked me what do you want me to do? And I said, I want you to take the baby and run. I cannot run. I just had surgery. I can't even walk. I don't know what to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Wore a belt from the incision. Her intravenous lines hanging over the rearview mirror. She did manage to make it to safety, to her other two children as well. Others are facing a long road to recovery.

CNN's Nick Watt is in Chico, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Dave, we have seen hundreds, maybe thousands of people pouring through this FEMA relief center today, looking for help, looking for the first step in trying to rebuild their lives. This used to be an old abandoned department store. Now, it is FEMA's one stop shop, so they can -- people can meet with FEMA agents about A, so they can speak to people about trying to get a low-cost loan to rebuild if and when that time comes.

Also, you can get your birth certificate if that burned in the fire, reprinted, your marriage license, your property deeds. All of that stuff is taking care off here. Now, the actual fire itself is still burning. I mean, 5,000 firefighters out there, mainly just spot fires.

That fire is expected to carry on until the end of the month. That is another ten days. But the real focus now here in northern California is to try and get these people on the road to recovery.

That's what this center is all about. Nearly 12,000 homes have been destroyed in this blaze. The need and hurt is frankly unimaginable.

Christine and Dave, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Nick, thank you so much. The worst air in the world is in northern California right now.

First fire and now rain. A series of storms forecast to hit California into the holiday weekend. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for the Camp Fire area. The flash flood watch from November 21 to 23. That means the threat of mudslides and debris flows could affect the sites, including the Butte County fairgrounds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CYNTHIA SMITH, CAMP FIRE EVACUEE: So, we're getting tarps and stuff like that. It's been rough. But we're making do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: An indoor shelter is available, but most of the evacuees say they don't want to sleep there because of the norovirus that apparently is going around.

BRIGGS: With more on the rain in California and the cold-headed to the East Coast for thanksgiving, here is meteorologist Ivan Cabrera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN CABRERA, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, guys. Good morning.

You would think rain would be good for California, it will be for the drought, but the burn scars will cause a mess, the potential for mudslides. We have two systems that are going to be bringing significant rain. The first one comes in on Wednesday. So, already, tomorrow, raining and heavily at times.

We'll get a little bit of a break through today on Thursday, but then Thursday night and Friday, we have yet another one with more rain. By the time all is said and done, we could be looking at anywhere from four to six inches right over the burn area. Again, good for the fires, but the problem is mudslide threat is going to increase big time here as we head through the next several days.

Out east, we have a weak system, but it is enough to issue winter weather advisories for the purple areas there. You get into New Hampshire and Maine and you'll be seeing anywhere from two to four inches. By the way, that's happening for today and into tonight. We will clear this out and in the wake of it, we'll have coldest air mass of the season.

Take a look at this.

[04:50:01] The temperatures now, these are wind chills. The wind is going to be gusty. By the time, we get into New York, single digit wind chills for Thursday and into Black Friday. Bundle up.

Guys?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Bundle up. All right. We will.

BRIGGS: Thank you, Ivan.

ROMANS: Troll alert. Instagram now cracking down on fake likes and comments and followers. We'll tell you why in CNN business, next.

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[04:55:02] BRIGGS: The founder of the Women's March calling for the movement's current co-chairs to step down for allowing bigotry into the group's mission. Teresa Shook accused four of the leaders of tarnishing the Women's March, saying they have allowed anti-Semitism, anti-LGTBQIA sentiment and hateful, racist rhetoric become part of the platform by their refusal to separate themselves from groups that espoused these racist, hateful beliefs.

ROMANS: Women's March leaders swiftly shot back at Shook, saying, quote, our ongoing work speaks for itself. That's our focus. Not armchair critiques from those who want to take credit for our labor.

The group has come under intense scrutiny for its association with Louis Farrakhan. Two Women's March leaders have posted on Instagram praising the Nation of Islam leader. Another spoke at a rally headlined by Farrakhan in 2015.

BRIGGS: Federal air marshals accused of more than 200 gun mishaps in just over a decade. The cases range from improper stores of weapons, the situations where air marshals may have jeopardized public safety. In 19 of the cases, documents say marshals fired their weapons by accident.

A spokesman for the Air Marshal Service telling CNN the cases involve under 1 percent of its workforce. All reports are taken seriously and investigated.

ROMANS: Federal officials say 16 marc more children contracted a polio like illness that can lead to paralysis. The Centers for Disease Control says there are now more than 100 cases in 29 states this year. Some of those suffering do regain the use of paralyzed limbs. Others are paralyzed from the neck down and can only breathe with the help of the ventilator. There is no cure and no vaccine.

BRIGGS: Facebook coming under scrutiny from human rights groups after it was revealed the social media site was used to auction off a child bride in South Sudan. The girl's family held the auction. According to a children's rights organization, the girl was bid on by five men, some of whom were high ranking South Sudanese government officials. Facebook said it learned of the post on November 9th and quickly removed it after the girl had been married.

ROMANS: They've got to find a better way. They've got to find a better way.

Let's get a check of CNN business this morning, taking a look at stocks around the world. Sharp decline for stocks in Asia. The Nikkei closed down 1.1 percent. Shanghai and Hang Seng both closing down 2 percent.

Nissan's U.S. listed shares fell 6 percent, 6 percent, after legendary chairman Carlos Ghosn was arrested over alleged financial misconduct, just shaking the global auto industry.

Looking at Europe now. European markets are also lower here. In Germany, the DAX is down 1.2 percent. You can see the FTSE and CAC down.

Wall Street futures right now lower. The Dow declined 1.6 percent Monday. That is the good news. It was down more than 500 at one point. Nasdaq dropped 3 percent. You can see the S&P 500. All three are now negative on the month.

Tech stocks took the brunt of the selling. Google closed in bear market territory for the first time in seven years.

All right. Victoria's Secret CEO resigned as the sales decline and competition from young companies are challenging the brand's grip on the lingerie industry. I mean, this used to be the juggernaut, right?

Now, the parent company L Brands announced that Jan Singer resigned its quarterly earnings release. Sales of Victoria Secret's stores, the development at least a year dropped 6 percent last quarter. Victoria's Secret closed 1,000 stores in the U.S., many of them tied to struggling malls.

Last year, Victoria's Secret sales fell 8 percent in part because of the decision to stop selling swim wear and clothing. There is huge competition from online start ups that have kind of figured out, especially American women, better than the old '90s era Victoria's Secret.

Instagram is the latest social media platform to crack down on fake likes and comments. Instagram said Monday it begun removing inauthentic likes, follows, and comments from accounts that used third party apps that falsely inflate popularity. This is part of a greater effort to maintain an authentic platform.

The move comes as social media sites, including Instagram's parent company Facebook faced, guess what, lots of criticism over the presence of trolls and fake news and misinformation. Instagram said it built machine learning tools to help detect and remove fake popularity boosting accounts.

You know, I'm going to go back to the Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff who said that Facebook --

BRIGGS: Cigarettes.

ROMANS: Cigarettes. That social media, the new cigarettes -- addictive and bad for you.

BRIGGS: Warning label perhaps on the front of the social media sites.

EARLY START continues right now.

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ROMANS: Breaking overnight: a federal judge blocks the White House from restricting asylum claims for people who cross the border illegally.