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CNN NEWSROOM

Snow in Boston Again; Arming Ukrainians; Chris Kyle's Murder Trial; Domestic Violence Highlighted at the Grammys; Federal Government to Target Payday Lenders

Aired February 9, 2015 - 09:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Another week, another foot or two of snow back to back to back. Winter storms absolutely punishing the East Coast and Boston seems to be taking the brunt of it. The city has seen nearly 60 inches of snow since December. Normally, that number should be around 25.

Sara Ganim, she drew the lucky straw. She's in the winter weary city. Good morning, Sara.

SARA GANIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

I want you to look around me. Look at these snow piles. Look how large they are, coming up to more than half of this streetlight. This is the problem here in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston as these snow piles are completely covering cars in some places. They're making some sidewalks impassable. They're creeping into the roadways and causing traffic visibility, visibility for your driving to be very low, especially when you're going around corners.

It's a huge safety concern also because of fire hydrants. Take a look at this fire hydrant here. Bill Carroll (ph), who is a resident who lives in this building behind me, he's lived her, Carol, since the '70s. He actually came out -- the city had asked residents to come out and dig out their fire hydrants because they were concerned that they were completely covered and buried by snow.

And so, Bill, I just want to ask you, you lived here since the '70s.

BILL CARROLL, BOSTON RESIDENT: Correct.

GANIM: Have you ever see the snow pile up so much like it is right now?

CARROLL: Well, I was here for the blizzard of '78. A little bit younger then. But what happened is that I'm now realizing that we've reached an equivalency for the blizzard of '78. And you have to check with the meteorologist because we already had like 10, 12 inches from a snowstorm in January of '78. Then we had the big one in February of '78. This is at that point now. Now, if this keeps up, we'll have passed it. But my recollection is, this is what it looked like back in '78.

GANIM: So it hasn't been this bad in several years. Now, the mayor of Boston, Carol, saying that this is an unprecedented amount of snow in such a short period of time and that's why you're seeing these big snow piles because they haven't been able to get rid of the snow. Is that right? I mean what's that doing for neighborhood, for business, for traffic?

CARROLL: Well, for business, I think if we look at the impact later and the figures are going to come out, I think we're going to lose an enormous amount of money. The other problem is, the driving and transportation. The public transportation has taken a huge hit because the cars are old, buses are having problems. We had gridlock last week up like we've never seen before.

The other problem is just the public safety issue, trying to make sure the hydrants are cleared off and then what you see is the ambulances stuck in traffic, which is, you know, not a good thing. So they're doing the best they can but the problem is, there's just nowhere to put it.

GANIM: Yes, and, Carol, the mayor said yesterday that they've hit their limit. They're already spent their snow budget for the year. He is going to figure out a way to get rid of this snow. And they're talking to the state of New York about bringing in some more snow melting machines. One of the problems they said is that people are taking things into their own hands. They're coming out with -- private contractors are coming out and when they remove snow from the business that contracted them, they're dumping it into the streets and the alleys and that's causing more problems.

Back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK. Well, thank that nice gentleman. That's awesome that he's digging out those fire hydrants. I love that. Sara Ganim reporting live from Boston this morning.

OK, in other news this morning, violence continues to grip Ukraine today. Flames lit up the night sky in Ukraine last night. As an explosion ripped through what was reportedly an arms depot in this city of Donetsk, pro-Russians rebels claimed the Ukrainian military was behind the attack but Ukraine's defense military has so far stayed quiet on those accusations.

In the meantime, back here at home, we're awaiting the arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House. She's going to meet with President Obama and try to work out a resolution to end the fighting across the region. A solution that Germany hopes does not involve arming the Ukrainian military. But for Texas Senator Ted Cruz, the time for diplomacy has long passed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: It is long pastime for us to step forward and provide defensive weapons so that the men and women of Ukraine can defend their nation. They are our allies in the Budapest Memorandum. We committed ourselves to standing with Ukraine to defend their territorial integrity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All right, let's talk about arming the Ukrainians with Lieutenant General Mark Hertling. He's a CNN military analyst and former commanding general of U.S. Army Europe.

Welcome, sir.

LT. GENERAL MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Good morning. I'm glad you're here.

So let's say Mr. Obama and Chancellor Merkel agree to arm the Ukrainians to fight Russia. What happens then?

HERTLING: It will be part of a wider picture, I think, of national - of a show of national power. We've already done the things that are associated with an economic sanction. There's been extensive diplomacy. We saw some of that in the Munich security conferences this weekend. The arming of the Ukraine's will give them the national self- determination capabilities that they need. They have been fighting for months, Carol, and they've been watching Russia pour troops across their border. This gets back to the pure value of national self- determination.

COSTELLO: So if we give the Ukrainian military bigger guns, so to speak, then Russia gives the rebels bigger guns. And this thing starts to mushroom into an all-out war. Isn't the danger that Russia wins and moves on to overtakes Estonia or Lithuania?

HERTLING: Well, that's a very big concern. And that's why I think what was discussed at the security conference this weekend was so critically important because even those Ms. Merkel is visiting President Obama this morning to talk about this today, there are other countries in Europe, there are 50 countries in Europe, Carol, as you know, and many of them are very concerned about Russian expansionism. They've seen it over the last several years in Georgia, in Moldova, in Azerbaijan and Armenia. This is just another step and you have to put all elements of national policies together to stop this.

COSTELLO: Also, Russia has nuclear weapons, right? So what's to say it won't use them if it feels cornered?

HERTLING: Well, that is a significant concern. But I think if Russia takes that step, then they show themselves to be the pariah that they are. And I'm not sure they would - they would go that distance. Although General Breadlove said this weekend that the potential for arming Ukraine would cause some difficulties with Russia. I think there is a requirement to stand up to their attempt at taking over slices of land. And this would be it. I don't think President Putin would misjudge enough. He's threatened significantly and flown aircraft with nuclear capabilities, but I don't think he'd go there. That would be idiotic.

COSTELLO: I home you're right, general. Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, thanks so much.

HERTLING: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Later this morning, join us at 11:40 Eastern. Wolf Blitzer will host our special programing on the Obama-Merkel news conference coming your way at 11:40 a.m. Eastern Time.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, will the popularity of "American Sniper" loom over the trial of the man accused of killing Chris Kyle? The latest on this high-profile murder trial, next.

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COSTELLO: The trial for the man who killed former Navy Seal Chris Kyle is set to beginning this week. With the popularity of the American film "American Sniper," based on Kyle's life, raises questions, including if the defendant can get a fair trial. CNN's Ed Lavandera has more for you.

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ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chris Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, brought Eddie Ray Routh to the Rough Creek Lodge and Resort two years ago on a Saturday afternoon. Routh's mother had reached out to Kyle to help her son. She said the former Marine was suffering from PTSD. Kyle and Littlefield took Routh out to this gun range so they could talk and bond. But instead, police say, Routh turned the guns on the two men who were trying to help him. Police say Routh left the scene in Kyle's pickup truck and drove to his sister's house right after the murders.

SISTER: Listen, my brother just came by here. He told me that he's committed a murder.

DISPATCHER: Who did he say he was - he had killed?

SISTER: He said that he killed two guys, they went out to a shooting range. And he's - like he's all crazy, he's a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) psychotic.

LAVANDERA: Routh is expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity in the murders of Kyle and Littlefield.

Routh served four years in the Marines, including a tour of duty in Iraq and a humanitarian mission to help the victims of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. He reportedly made several visits to the V.A. hospital in Dallas and spent the two years before the murders in and out of treatment for mental health issues. Journalist Laura Beil wrote an in-depth account of Eddie Ray Routh's struggles in a book called "The Enemy Within." She says shortly before the murders, Routh's mother turned to Kyle, desperate for help.

LAURA BEIL, AUTHOR, "THE ENEMY WITHIN": He had been saying crazy things and doing crazy things that were out of character long before this. LAVANDERA: Routh's trial will be held in Stephenville, Texas, the

small town where Chris Kyle went to college in the early 1990s and where he entertained dreams of becoming a rodeo cowboy before he left that behind and joined the Navy. Routh's attorney asked the judge to delay the start of the murder trial because of the intense publicity surrounding the release of the "American Sniper" movie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The thing that haunts me are all the guys that I couldn't save.

LAVANDERA: In the state of Texas, proclaiming February 2nd as Chris Kyle Day. The judge denied the request and now the work of picking the jury is underway.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Stephenville, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: All right, still to come in the NEWSROOM, music with a powerful message. Domestic abuse takes center stage at the Grammys. We'll talk about that, next.

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COSTELLO: Glitz, glamour and serious discussions about domestic abuse. Last night's Grammys pairing music with a powerful message

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Right now, 1 in 5 of America has been a victim of rape or attempted rape. And more than 1 in 4 women has experienced some form of domestic violence. It's not OK and it has to stop.

BROOKE AXTELL, DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVOR: My name is Brooke Axtell and I am a survivor of domestic violence.

(APPLAUSE)

Authentic love does not devalue another human being.

(APPLAUSE)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Serious subject taking center stage, so let's talk about that. I'm joined by the founder of Truth In Reality and domestic violence awareness activist Sil Lai Abrams. Thank you so much for being with me.

SIL LAI ABRAMS, FOUNDER, TRUTH IN REALITY: Thanks for having me.

COSTELLO: I thought the segment was powerful, but like you said, it seemed so random. UF: Yes, there wasn't a lot of context provided. But even despite

that fact it was very impactful. And it's amazing to see how these organizations are -- and these award shows are using their platforms, these huge platforms, to talk about an issue that has historically been swept underneath the carpet.

I mean, domestic violence is a huge issue globally speaking and here in the United States. And here we have at the NFL during the Super Bowl and now here at the Grammys during, coincidentally Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, this very powerful segment.

COSTELLO: Absolutely. And it would have been more power had we known more of Brooke Axtell's story.

ABRAMS: That's true; I would agree.

COSTELLO: As a child, she was raped repeatedly in the basement of some strange house. She went on to suffer years of abuse at the hands of men, like a boyfriend later in life, and she finally reached out to get help because she refused to be silenced. And now she's healthy and she's an activist herself.

The other weird thing to me was you had Katy Perry singing this beautiful song, but Rihanna was also performing at the Grammys. Eminem won a Grammy; Chris Brown was nominated.

ABRAMS: That's right. That's right. And then you have -- there was a strange juxtaposition happening. And I think that is one of the reasons why that forum is an important forum to show that distinction, to show how there's this blatant kind of disconnect that's happening in our community.

Let's face it. The media is one of the most powerful ways we can communicate any form of messaging. And the fact is that a lot of entertainers, particularly, perpetuate or -- perpetuate domestic violence or sexual assault and are not being held accountable.

COSTELLO: Yes, let's talk about (INAUDIBLE) because I mentioned Rihanna and Eminem, and a few years ago they did that song together, "I Love The Way You Lie." Right?

ABRAMS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Let's play a bit of that just to remind people.

(MUSIC: RIHANNA & EMINEM'S "I LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE")

COSTELLO: But a lot of people that worked with domestic violence victims said this sort of made domestic abuse sexy.

ABRAMS: Yes, it was a troublesome pairing to me just because of the fact here we have a woman who is a survivor of domestic violence, and then you have a man who is a known perpetrator of domestic violence, who come together. But, again, she ended up doing a song with her former batterer. So the evolution in the process to healing and awareness of the issue of domestic violence, even as a survivor, I can speak for myself, is one that takes time.

But when you're looking again at how the media tends to downplay, and as you said, to make it sexy, I mean, this is one of the reasons why I founded my organization, Truth In Reality, because we specifically focus on using the media, particularly the narratives that we see around reality television, which tend glorify relational aggression and violence, as an opportunity to have a larger discussion with media consumers and especially with those on college campuses about the truth and reality of what's happening around sexual assault and domestic violence.

And to that point, we have launched this huge campaign which starts this month called 99 Seconds. And the fact is this: Every 90 seconds, a woman in the United States is a victim of sexual assault. And every nine seconds, a woman is battered. When you put that together, that's 99 seconds. And son the 17th we are holding our inaugural event for this 99 Seconds program. Because, again, you've got to go from a PSA, from making us aware to what can we do about it?

COSTELLO: Exactly, exactly.

ABRAMS: And so at the University of Chicago, we're holding this event to get people engaged in talking about the subject.

COSTELLO: We'll be dipping into that event. Sil Lai Abrams, thank you so much for your great work. And thank you for being with me. I appreciate it.

ABRAMS: Thank you for having me.

COSTELLO: I'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: It's a $46 billion industry that often targets desperate consumers -- payday lending. You've seen the commercials, a spokesmen like Montel Williams promising you fast cash to cover expenses. But those easy loans can often be hard to repay, and now a new report says the government wants to step in to stop payday lenders from taking advantage of consumers.

CNN Money correspondent Cristina Alesci is following this story for us. Good morning.

CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDNET: Good morning. Yes, "The New York Times" says at the core of the problem is the fact that payday lenders are getting around individual state regulations that are meant to protect oftentimes poor people from abusive practices. Carol, I don't know if you realize this but sometimes the fees and interest amount to more than the principle that these people are actually taking out.

So now the federal regulators are coming in and saying we need to hold these lenders more accountable. They want to do things, for example, like force the lender to make sure the borrower can repay the loan within two weeks. Now, this is a very complicated issue because the industry will say,

hey, we're helping poor people. We're the only source of financing. A bank isn't going to give them -- lend them the money. But there has to be a balance between providing a service for these people, who often on average make $22,000 a year, and abusive practices, right? These people are going to these payday lenders for a medium of ten times a year. This isn't emergency funding; this is paycheck to paycheck living that you have to tap on a continual basis and that's the problem.

COSTELLO: Cristina Alesci, many thanks to you. I appreciate it.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.

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