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EARLY START

Democrats Wants Delay After New Kavanaugh Allegation; U.N. General Assembly Begins; Allies Urge Trump Not To Fire Rosenstein; Tiger Woods Back On Top; Minnesota State Lawmakers Ends Reelection Bid; Carolinas Flooding Recovery. Aired 4-04:30a ET

Aired September 24, 2018 - 04:00   ET

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


[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DAVE BRIGGS, EARLY START SHOW CO-HOST: Democrats want to delay all confirmation proceedings for Brett Kavanaugh after new allegations of sexual misconduct. What it means for Thursday's public hearing with Christine Blasey Ford.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, EARLY START SHOW CO-HOST: The U.N. general assembly begins today. The President meeting with the South Korean President with nuclear talks stalled on the Korean peninsula.

BRIGGS: The President debating whether to fire Rod Rosenstein. Allies are urging him to hold off despite released memos of one senator that suggest a bureaucratic coup.

ROMANS: And for the first time in more than five years, Tiger Woods can celebrate a win on the PGA tour. Good morning everyone. Welcome to Early Start. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. What a moment that was. Did you watch? I know you are a golf fan.

ROMANS: I am a golf fan. I didn't watch this thing.

BRIGGS: 1,876 days since the last win, good for Tiger. Monday September 24th, it is 4:00 a.m. in the East. We start with the latest on the Supreme Court development.

Top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wants confirmation proceedings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh immediately delayed after a second allegation of inappropriate sexual behavior. The request from top California Democrat, Dianne Feinstein came after the New Yorker magazine reported Sunday that a woman who attended Yale with Kavanaugh says remembers him exposing himself to her at a party, although corroboration of her story is rather spin.

ROMANS: A spokesman for Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley says he will look into the new claims, but there are no plans to delay Christine Blasey Ford's hearing on Thursday. President Trump's aides discussed the latest allegation against Kavanaugh with the President on Sunday, but dropping the nomination is not currently under consideration. CNN Jessica Schneider has more from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: The White House and Judge Kavanaugh are now also denying another allegation against Kavanaugh of inappropriate behavior. This time from a woman who said she attended Yale with the Supreme Court nominee. "The New Yorker" reported on Sunday that 53-year-old Debra Ramirez remembers Kavanaugh exposing himself to her at a dormitory party during the 1983-1984 school year. However, two other people, Ramirez says, were present at the party and issued a statement to the New Yorker saying they never heard of such an incident and CNN has not corroborated her story.

Kavanaugh said in a statement this alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen and have said so. This is a smear plain and simple. I look forward to testifying on Thursday about the truth and defending my good name and the reputation for character and integrity I have spent a lifetime building against this last meant allegations.

The White House spokeswoman Carrie Kopek (ph) said this 35-year-old uncorroborated claim is the latest in the coordinated smear campaign by the Democrats designed to tear down a good man. This claim is denied by all who are said to be present and it is wholly inconsistent with many women and men who knew Judge Kavanaugh at the time in college say.

The White House stands firmly behind Judge Kavanaugh. Now, Ramirez was initially hesitant to speak publicly, because she said her memory contained gaps, because she had been drinking at the time. But after she reassessed her memory with a course of six days with her attorney, she did go on the record with "The New Yorker." Christine and Dave.

(END VIDEO)

BRIGGS: OK. Jessica, thanks. Lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford confirming she will testify on Thursday in an open hearing on a sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. Ford will have dedicated security, after receiving death threats. She will testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee first, follow by Kavanaugh. Her attorneys say her statement important issues remain unresolved and they are not happy that the committee has no plans to subpoena Mark Judge.

ROMANS: Mark Judge whom Ford says was in the room when the alleged assault took place. One Republican committee member, Lindsey Graham, does not expect to be swayed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I want to listen to her, but I'll be honest with you and everybody else. What do you expect me to do? You can't bring it in the criminal court. You would never sue civilly. You could not even get a warrant. What am I supposed to do? Go ahead and ruin this guy's life based on an accusation? I don't know when it happened or I don't know where it happened. And everybody named and in regard to being there has said it didn't happen. I am just being honest, unless there is something more. No, I am not going to ruin Judge Kavanaugh's life over this. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: One of the issues still unresolved whether Republican Senators would the questioning or have outside counsel handle it?

BRIGGS: Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has requested materials and evidence from both sides by 10:00 a.m. Tuesday ahead of Thursday's hearing.

[04:05:05] In a statement the committee has reached out to four people who Ford has said where at that party. None had been able to corroborate her account.

ROMANS: All right. President Trump in New York this morning as he begins the big week at the United Nations general assembly. Last night he had dinner with Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. Today, he meets with the Korean President Moon Jae-in. And tomorrow morning President Trump addresses the full U.N. Wednesday he will chairs the Security Council briefing with Iran as a key focus.

BRIGGS: The president's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said over the weekend, according to Reuters, that U.S. sanctions on Iran could cause a successful revolution in Iran. But U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley downplaying any suggesting that the U.S. will intervene in there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: The United States is not looking to do regime change in Iran. They are not looking to do regime change anywhere. What we are looking to do is protect Americans and protect allies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Iran's rhetoric against the U.S. escalating ahead of the U.N. General assembly. Tehran blaming America and Saudi Arabia for a deadly attack on a military parade in Iran. Despite that claimed in ISIS affiliated news agency circulating a video, claiming that shows three of the four assailants accused of carrying out the attack. Iran's revolutionary guard says the attackers will face deadly and unforgettable revenge.

ROMANS: Republican allies urging President Trump not to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. The President considered the move after the leaked memos describes Rosenstein talking about wearing a wire to record the president and recruiting cabinet members to invoke the 25th amendment to try and remove him from office. Rosenstein has denied allegations in two separate statements. The latter after a push from the White House.

BRIGGS: The GOP lawmakers want the president to hold off on the purge of the Justice Department until after Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed. Here is what South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GRAHAM: He shouldn't fire Rosenstein unless you believe Rosenstein is

lying. He said he did not do the things alleged. But here is a bureaucratic coup against President Trump being discovered here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: At a rally in Missouri on Friday night, President Trump vowed to get rid of the quote, lingering stench at the FBI.

ROMANS: The Democratic Senator Maize Hirono of Hawaii calling for an investigation into physical and emotional abuse allegations against Minnesota Democratic congressman Keith Ellison. Hirono has emerge as the leading critic of the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and she address claims that Democrats have a double standard when it comes to acting on issues of abuse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wouldn't the concern about Kavanaugh and Professor Ford be more credible if Democrats were also condemning similar charges against Democrats, in their midst including Congressman Ellison?

MAZIE HIRONO DEMOCRAT HAWAII: I made very clear that I make no excuses for anybody who engages in this kind of behavior. And as far as Keith Ellison, these allegations need to be investigated and appropriate action taken.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Now. In August, the son of Ellison's ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan (ph) alleged the Congressman had abused his mother. He claimed he found a video on his mom's computer showing Ellison swearing at her and dragging her off the bed, but no video has been produced. Ellison has denied the allegations and suggests they were politically motivated.

Coming up, a family spat spills over into an Arizona house race. A Congress member says Kim Jong-un would be proud. We'll show you why.

ROMANS: And more than 100 people searching through a North Carolina park for an autistic boy who vanished over the weekend.

[04:10:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: All right. Big morning here in the U.S./China trade escalation. The U.S. hitting China with the biggest round of tariffs yet prompting Beijing to cancel trade talks. They are off.

At midnight, the Trump administration slapped 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods that includes thousands of products like hand bags, refrigerators and mattresses. China immediately retaliated hitting $60 billion in U.S. goods, like meat, chemicals, clothes and auto parts and accused the U.S. of trade bully-ism. On Saturday, Chinese officials canceled talks in Washington this week. The senior White House official said, no new meetings are planned. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is working diplomacy to end the trade war but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration wants victory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are going to get an outcome which forces China to behave in a way if you want to be a global power, transparency, rule of law. You don't steal intellectual property. The fundamental principles of trade around the world. Fairness reciprocity, those are the things President Trump has told his counterpart there whether he very much likes. Those are the things the American people are demanding and the American workers deserve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: American businesses agree China use unfair trade practices, but they don't think tariffs are the way to get China to change. It is actually U.S. importing companies that pay forcing them to absorb the higher cost and passed it along to consumers.

BRIGGS: Minnesota state representative Jim Knoblach abandoning his re-election campaign in the face of allegations by his daughter of sexually inappropriate behavior. Laurie Knoblach tells Minnesota public radio her father in appropriately touched her from the time she was nine until she was 21. In a statement on his campaign website he reach from Republican lawmakers says his daughter has been estrange from the family for some time that the allegations where false. According to NPR report, a two month police investigation early last year determined Knoblach's behavior was quote, really inappropriate, but not criminal.

ROMANS: Congressman Paul Gosar is firing back against his most vocal critics. His own family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: He is not listening to you. And he doesn't have your interests at heart.

[04:15:02] My name is Tim Gosar.

DAVID GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: David Gosar.

GRACE GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: Grace Gosar.

JOHN GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: John Gosar.

GASTON GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: Gaston Gosar.

JENNIFER GOSAR, FAMILY MEMBER OF PAUL GOSAR: Jennifer Gosar.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paul Gosar is my brother.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My brother.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I endorse Dr. Brill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. David Brill, wholeheartedly. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Endorsed Dr. David Brill for Congress.

(END VIDEO)

ROMANS: That makes for an uncomfortable thanksgiving dinner. Six of Gosar's siblings are appearing in a TV ad for his opponent, Dr. David Brill. The Republican Congressman tells CNN, his siblings are quote, disgruntled Hillary reporters, his supporters rather, and (inaudible), Kim Jong-un would be proud.

BRIGGS: He adds in a statement, you cannot pick your family. We all have crazy aunts and relatives, etcetera. My family is no different. To the six angry Democrat Gosar, see you at mom and dad's house. Republican Gosar, no stranger to controversy, he claimed the tragedy of Charlottesville is actually a left wing plot finance by Democratic mega donor, George Soros. Can you imagine that thanksgiving dinner? I hope they are all there and there is a reality show (inaudible).

ROMANS: Don't talk about religion or politics at the dinner table.

One of the unexpected effects of hurricane Florence. Fish. Lots of lots fish that is behind after flood waters receded from the North Carolina highway.

BRIGGS: Something else some says it is rotting. The patriots lose two in a row after falling to the lowly Detroit lions.

[04:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: He was once known as America's dad. The 81-year-old comedian has been under house arrest since his conviction back in April for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. The judge at the sentencing will also determine if Cosby must register as a sexual offender. He faces up to 30 years in prison. Though legal experts say he is much likely to get less time behind bars.

BRIGGS: I-95 has now reopened to the North Carolina. The main Norths South interstate along East Coast had been closed. Some parts turned into rivers by flooding in the wake of hurricane Florence. Once the waters receded, the North Carolina Department of transportation completed inspection and repairs. Over on I-40, fire crews closing down the highway found this, dead fish. Scattered across the interstate. Stranded as the floodwaters receded.

ROMANS: In Wilmington, the inspectors checking out the Sutton natural gas plant. The initial water test saw discharges from the flooding are not harming Cape Fear River water quality. And this new drone video shot by CNN in Conway South Carolina shows the entire neighborhood still flooded. The Waccamaw River in Conway has already risen above 19 feet with a 22-foot crest still forecast for Tuesday morning. Eight rivers across the Carolinas remained at major flood stage.

BRIGGS: A desperate search in North Carolina for a 6-year-old boy with autism. Maddox Scott Rich has been missing since Saturday, authorities say he was last seen at the park in Gastonia about 23 miles from Charlotte with his father and an adult. The boy's parents says Maddox started running and when they ran after him, they lost sight of him. Police say, more than 100 people have joined the search combining more than 1400 acres in and around that park. All activities of the park has been canceled and it is closed to the public until further notice.

ROMANS: And Texas inmates almost got a surprise with the breakfast cereal. $18 million worth of cocaine mixed in with the shipment of bananas, donated to the state prison system. Friday, the Texas department of criminal justice officers picked up two pallets of donated fruits. And they quickly found that the weigh was off, they look inside and found 540 packages of coke. It unclear who put the cocaine in the boxes or when the Custom and Border Protection and the DEA are investigating.

BRIGGS: If you fly, it is quite possibly your worst fear. Take a look at these heart pounding moment when an Air France passenger plane tried to land in Birmingham airport in England last Wednesday in 44- mile-an-hour winds. You can see the airbus literally twisting in those winds and coming within feet of touching down before the pilot was forced to pull up. He was about to run out of tarmac. The crew was able to change course and eventually landed safely.

ROMANS: Unbelievable. Wow. All right. Two heads are generally better than one unless you are talking about a snake. Take a look at this rare two-headed copperhead snake discovered in a yard in Virginia. The person who found it contacted the Virginia herpetological society, and they pick it up. The baby Eastern copperhead is now being studied at the wildlife center of Virginia in (inaudible). It is not available for public viewing, if the snake survives, it will be donated to a zoo for exhibit.

BRIGGS: Sorry, I got (inaudible) if you will.

ROMANS: He did not like the two headed snake.

BRIGGS: I'm scared of snakes, my friend. That is my worst nightmare.

All right. Career win number 80, but it was far sweeter than most.

Listen to that roar. 42-year-old surgically reconstructed Tiger Woods winning the season ending tour championship at East Lake by two strokes on Sunday. It is his first victory win since August of 2013. Ending an odyssey of painful surgeries and setbacks that threaten to derail his legendary career.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: Some of the players that I'm pretty close to -- they've really helped, you know, throughout this process in the last few years. Their support and you know, with some of the things they said, you know, coming off that last green meant a lot to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP) [04:25:16] BRIGGS: Good stuff. Not a lot of time to celebrate for

Tiger. He heads to France to play in the Ryder Cup which tees off Friday. Tiger by the way the Master's favored suddenly.

A Sunday night shocker, the Patriots lose again. This time in Detroit. The lions dominate on both sides of the ball in the 26-10 win. Lions coach Matt Patricia gets his first win as a coach against his former team. The Pats have lost back-to-back games since 2015. They are now 1-2 for the first time since 2012. They did finished that season 12-4, but this one is a stunner in New England.

Coming up, Democrats calling for a total delay on confirmation proceedings for Brett Kavanaugh after a new allegation of sexual misconduct. What does it mean for Thursday's hearing with Christine Blasey Ford?

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