REPORT-WI-01
Town After a Bruising Debate; North Korea's Latest Missile Test Failed;
Obama Backing FFC on Cable Box; Congress Debates Bankruptcy Bill for Puerto
Rico; Donald Trump Leading Opponents in New York and Pennsylvania Polls;
Bernie Sanders Visits Vatican City - Part 1>
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[18:00:04] BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS HOST: Donald Trump looks to trounce in New York while running against the G.O.P. and state rules. While the Democrat candidates split town after a bruising debate. This is SPECIAL REPORT.
Good evening. Welcome to Washington. I'm Bret Baier.
With just four days to go until the New York primary, all three G.O.P. candidates were stumping in the Empire State today while Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were thousands of miles away following a contentious debate in Brooklyn last night.
We have "Fox" team coverage tonight.
Chief White House correspondent Ed Henry is in New York with all the fireworks from last night's debate. But we begin with senior national correspondent John Roberts in Hartford, Connecticut, tonight, where Donald Trump is already looking ahead to that state's primary.
Good evening, John.
JOHN ROBERTS, FOX NEWS NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Bret, good evening to you.
Connecticut, one of five contests a week after New Yorker's go to the polls. Donald Trump is hoping that by that time, he will have the wind at his back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS (voice-over): With the 32-point lead four days before the New York primary, Donald Trump could likely cost to victory. But he is not letting up. With a goal to get above 50 percent of the vote in every congressional district and take home every available delegate.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You're going to remember this day. And you're going to remember your vote on Tuesday. And you're going to look back at that vote and you're going to say that's the single greatest vote I ever cast.
ROBERTS: Trump is vowing, if he wins the White House and becomes his party's leader, he will change the system of selecting a nominee.
In a "Wall Street Journal" op-ed writing, quote, "Delegates are supposed to reflect the decisions of voters. But the system is being rigged by party operatives with double agent delegates who reject the decision of voters."
As Trump supporters in Colorado protested the way delegates were chosen there, RNC chairman Reince Priebus today said Trump should focus on other things.
REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: It's up to the states to set the rules and they've done it. And so, you know, I think we need to move on from complaining about the rules, I think.
ROBERTS: Trump also accused Ted Cruz of hypocrisy writing, quote, "For a man who styles himself as a warrior against the establishment, you'd think he would be demanding a vote for Coloradoans. Instead, Mr. Cruz is celebrating their disenfranchisement."
SEN. TED CRUZ, (R-TX) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is not surprising when a candidate loses 11 elections in a row. He is unhappy about it. And so he complains. He's entitled to be unhappy. We're focused on earning votes from the people.
ROBERTS: Cruz is taking more steps to ensure Trump doesn't win on a second ballot at the convention. In Wyoming, which picks the remaining 14 delegates to the national convention tomorrow, Cruz operatives had the delegates sign a pledge that they would stand by Cruz through thick and thin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This year in particular with the potential for a contested convention, things can change pretty quickly. Alliances are made. And I just wanted to make sure that our folks that support Ted Cruz from Wyoming remain with us the entire time.
Ohio Governor John Kasich is hoping to put in a respectable finish in New York. Polls show him in second place behind Trump. Today, in the town where Teddy Roosevelt was inaugurated in 1901, Kasich compared himself to the legendary president.
GOV. JOHN KASICH, (R-OH) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Teddy Roosevelt rode into this town and rode into Washington and he said you get with me. Teddy was like me. I mean, I'm like Teddy. You know, he just raised hell and shake everything up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: What Donald Trump's complaints about the delegates selection system seem to be all about is motivating voters. If he can convince them that their votes are being taken from them, the angry backlash that he creates from that may just get more people out to the polls, between now and June 7th.
Bret?
BAIER: John Roberts live in Hartford. John, thank you.
Hillary Clinton is mingling with the stars in California while Bernie Sanders was halfway around the world today at the Vatican. It is a much calmer picture than last night when the two got into shouting matches as they met for a final debate just days before New York's primary.
Chief White House correspondent Ed Henry reports on one of the most fiery clashes between the two to date.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, FOX NEWS CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before jetting off to San Francisco for the first of two fund-raisers with George and Amal Clooney, Hillary Clinton stopped in Harlem.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would be very honored to earn your vote next Tuesday.
HENRY: And despite holding a double digit lead here in New York, Clinton is trying to shake off complaisance among supporters.
CLINTON: People are saying to him, oh, you know what, we know she's going to win. No, no, we can't know that unless they show up and actually help us win?
HENRY: Bernie Sanders went even further than Clinton to get out of New York. Traveling thousands of miles to the Vatican. Claiming the gamble of leaving the trail was worth it.
BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It was so moving to me. That it was something that I could just simply not refuse to attend.
HENRY: Both candidates may have simply been happy to get out of dodge after a nasty Brooklyn brawl.
SANDERS: Well, I don't question her judgement.
[18:05:04] HENRY: In what may be their final face-to-face debate.
SANDERS: I am sure a lot of people are very surprised to learn that you supported raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
CLINTON: You know, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait, wait, wait -- I have stood on the debate stage.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: If you're both screaming at each other, the viewers won't be able to hear either of you.
HENRY: A feisty Sanders landed jabs. But the Clinton camp thinks he came across as angry and again struggled with specifics of how "Wall Street" speeches and campaign contributions impacted Clinton's votes.
CLINTON: We cannot come up with any example because there is no example. I stood up against the behaviors of the banks when I was a senator.
SANDERS: Secretary Clinton called them out. Oh, my goodness. They must have been really crushed by this.
HENRY: And Clinton has another big dollar fund-raiser Friday night in San Francisco with the Clooneys. Then another with the couple Saturday in Los Angeles.
Two seats at the head table cost over $350,000. 13,000 times Sanders' average contribution of $27.
Yet Sanders' jaunt to the Vatican was not without controversy. The Democratic socialist shook hands with the leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales, who called himself America's biggest nightmare.
SANDERS: Environmental destruction and the weakening of the rights of workers is far more severe today.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: Sanders joining calls for a moral economy that had been issued by Pope Francis, though. He did not get a one-on-one with the pope who wants to stay out of the election.
Meanwhile, Bill Clinton today lashing out at Sanders saying he didn't like some of those smearing comments.
Bret?
BAIER: Ed Henry live in New York. Ed, thank you.
U.N.-led peace talks began today in Geneva with a Syrian government delegation in hopes of finding resolution to the country's civil war. The talks come as fighting between government forces and insurgents have killed 34 fighters on both sides over just the past 24 hours.
In the historic city of Palmyra, experts are surveying the damage done by ISIS. Archaeologist and museum curators will try to restore some of the artefacts damage by ISIS. The city was taken over by the terror group last May and was finally recaptured in March.
An Iranian general is once again in violation of the U.N. travel ban. Sources tell "Fox News," Qasem Soleimani cut short his visit to Moscow a day after we first reported that the revolutionary guard general had flown to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin.
Today, Secretary of State John Kerry raised the issue with his Russian counterpart according to a State Department's spokesperson. Soleimani is the head of Iran's Kud's force responsible for killing hundreds of Americans, American troops in Iraq.
"Fox News" broke the story first in his first trip to Moscow back in July.
In case you missed it, "Fox News" reporting "Rising Threats, Shrinking Military" will air again this weekend, 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Sunday.
What was supposed to be an incredible display of power turned out to be anything but. Despite North Korea's failure to get its latest missile off the ground, there may be another reason for concern over that country's military ambitions.
Reporter Kitty Logan has the story tonight from London.
KITTY LOGAN, REPORTER (voice-over): It was meant to be a day of celebration for North Korea. A synchronized show of power from Pyongyang to mark the 104th birthday of its founder. But officials were hoping to see more than fireworks.
A test launch of a new mid-range missile ended in embarrassment for the country's leadership when the device detonated within seconds of lift-off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via translator): We suspect North Korea are tempted to launch missiles near E.C. area but failed. Our army is closely monitoring the possibility of North Korea's fifth nuclear tests and further missile test in getting ready against them.
LOGAN: North Korea's missile tests have failed before. Last year, a missile also disintegrated during a test launch. But the country carried out a series of other missile tests in recent months, which were successful.
It also conducted a nuclear test back in January sparking international alarm and triggering new U.N. sanctions. North Korea says it's acting in response to the biggest ever joint U.S. and South Korean military exercises which took place in March this year.
U.S. officials have repeatedly called for restraint and denounced this latest fail test as needless provocation saying North Korea should face consequences of its defiance.
Observers believe the country is determined to develop its new mid-range missile technology. And as it does so, tension in the region continues to rise.
Bret?
BAIER: Kitty Logan in London.
Kitty, thank you.
British police make five arrests in the ongoing investigation into the terror attacks on Paris and Brussels. Four people including a woman were arrested Thursday in Anglo city of Birmingham.
A fifth arrested today at London's Gatwick Airport. But police would not elaborate on these arrests. The man in the hat suspect Mohamed Abrini is suspected of making several trips to the Birmingham area last year. As the terror investigations continue, President Obama said this week that we as a country are gaining on ISIS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[18:10:04] BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: On the ground in Syria and Iraq. ISIL is on the defense. Our 66-member coalition including Arab partners is on the offensive. We have momentum and we intend to keep that momentum.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: Joining me now with his perspective on how the fight against ISIS is going Qubad Talabani, deputy prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Thank you for being here.
Thanks for having me back, Bret.
BAIER: First, let's just get your assessment of what this enemy looks like on the ground. You all are fighting them directly every day.
QUBAD TALABANI, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: The enemy is a brutal enemy. It is entrenched in Iraq, but also in Syria. And they have obviously, as we know, taken a large piece of territory. But over the last year and a half of coordinated effort, we've been able to degrade this enemy. We've been able to take territory away from this enemy. And the coalition strikes have hurt this enemy's resources and its infrastructure. But we cannot underestimate the ability of this enemy to continue to wreak havoc and cause damage. BAIER: There was -- the last time we talked, there were a lot of problems with red tape, getting new weapons and equipment. Where does that stand?
TALABANI: If you look at our weapons capabilities today, they are still no match for ISIS'. ISIS still has much greater fire power.
(CROSSTALK)
BAIER: Some of U.S. equipment, actually.
TALABANI: Yes. They have in fact the best of the U.S. equipment which they were able to take from the Iraqi army that deserted Mosul in those areas. But they've also in their fight in Syria taken the best of Russian weaponry that was supplied to the Syrians. So they have a good stockpile of weaponry to be able to inflict that damage. Our weaponry that we have, still old, still outdated. In terms of ammunition, we no way near half the amount that we need to be able to effectively destroy this group.
BAIER: Well, you're here asking for more support on Capitol Hill. Why -- for somebody sitting at home, why is that important in a tight time with the economy here in the U.S., why is it important to give Kurdistan and your government more support?
TALABANI: Well, we are in the front lines against ISIS. We are defending the rest of the world from this group. And we are inflicting damage to this group on a daily basis. But our resources are limited.
We have a major financial and economic crisis in Kurdistan because of Baghdad cutting our budget way back in 2014 because in Kurdistan, we are housing 1.8 million people that have been displaced as a result of this conflict with ISIS. This is causing a major strain on our resources. Of course, as an economy that is dependent on the price of oil. We've seen how the shock decline in oil prices has further impacted our economy. And that is ultimately going to take its toll on our ability to fight the fight that we need to fight.
So we need the support from our friends in the United States so we can keep our front lines strong, so we can keep ISIS on the defensive and we can keep the rest of the world safe.
BAIER: You know, to hear the president this week at the CIA after meeting with his national security council, it sounds pretty good about the fight against ISIS, from his point of view, from his vantage point.
You know, there was this effort to take Mosul and we heard about efforts to go after and get ISIS out of Mosul. But yet it hasn't happened. What's taken so long?
TALABANI: Well, yes, there has been progress against ISIS. But, again, we have to be careful. We cannot under estimate the ability of this group. And at the same time, we have an Iraqi army, which is also a critical component of this fight against ISIL that is just not ready right now.
The Mosul offensive is an important offensive. It is imperative for the safety of Kurdistan, for defeating ISIL. And we need, I think, a more comprehensive plan in place that ultimately the Iraqi forces and the Iraqi government are in charge of creating.
BAIER: It sounds, excuse me -- it sounds like that Iraqi government is kind of a mess right now. You had the prime minister kind of disband his cabinet. It sounds not comforting to people watching from the outside.
TALABANI: It's very frustrating. It's completely an unnecessary crisis that has now compounded the political, the economic crisis and all of the other challenges facing the country. This is not the time to disband the cabinet. This is not what we would consider reform. But now again, we're in the midst of this political crisis which we as Kurds are trying to play a constructive role to try to diffuse the current tensions between the various, different groups.
Obviously, in order to have an effective campaign against ISIS, we need to have an effective government in Iraq.
[18:15:04] BAIER: The American people know that U.S. troops are on the ground in Iraq. I don't think they know to the extent they are on or near the front lines. There are U.S. troops in your region, right? Special forces and joint operation center.
TALABANI: There is a minimal U.S. footprint right now that is involved in advising us and helping us coordinate the air strikes that are pounding ISIS positions. But, ultimately, we have been tasked, and this is our fight and we are in the front lines of this fight. And any support that we're getting is much appreciated. We need more support. But we are ultimately those -- we are the boots on the ground in this fight against ISIS.
BAIER: The -- we have some pictures of some of the chemical weapons, or the alleged chemical -- use of chemical weapons by ISIS especially in the Syrian area.
Are you seeing this more and more? Is this enemy evolving in what they're doing?
TALABANI: Yes. We have seen ISIS use chemical weapons against our troops, against the Kurdish freshmen. And this is -- I think this has escalated the conflict to a new level.
And this also means that we have to be careful in our preparations for gaining more territory away from ISIS. We have to -- I don't think this group is just going to keel over and die and let us walk into Mosul and liberate Mosul. So we have to be prepared for every eventuality and for every evil act that this group can carry out against us.
BAIER: Well, we wish you well. Thank you for coming in.
TALABANI: Thank you, Bret.
BAIER: Up next, President Obama wants to be your cable guy. Sort of. We'll explain.
First, here's what some of our "Fox" affiliates around the country are covering tonight.
"Fox32" in Chicago, where a judge ordered a 76-year-old man released from prison after prosecutors said he was wrongly convicted in 2012 of the death of a 7-year-old girl back in 1957. Jack McCullough will be released as he awaits a new trial.
"Fox13" in Seattle, where just a month after the Pentagon lifted all restrictions on women in combat, a 17-year-old girl signed up to serve. Lauren Ross is just the second woman in the nation to enlist in the army and commit to combat infantry units. She reports for basic training in June of next year.
And this is a live look at Boston from our affiliate "Fox25." The big story there tonight, a city-wide moment of silence today, 2:49 p.m. marking the time three years ago that the first of two bombs went off during the Boston marathon.
Earlier the governor joined victims' families for a wreath laying ceremony near the marathon finish line. Today's remembrance is the first since bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death last June.
That's tonight's live look outside the beltway. From SPECIAL REPORT, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:21:40] BAIER: The cable box you're probably using to watch us right now is now a priority of President Obama. In a rare move, the president formally backed an effort by the FCC to give you more options on where to get your set top box.
But as correspondent Kevin Corke reports tonight, some believe this is a classic case of government overreach and President Obama should just tune out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It has been tied to the provider, and you rented and consumers spend billions of dollars on this every single year.
KEVIN CORKE, FOX NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chances are you never thought of your cable box as a symbol of corporate power over consumers. But in an interview with Yahoo! Finance, President Obama said that's how he sees it. And today using the ubiquitous box as an example, issued an executive order calling on the FCC to open up the set top box business to competition.
U.S. consumers typically pay $231 a year to rent their cable boxes. And according to one analysis, their costs have nearly tripled since 1994. While the cost of computers, televisions and mobile phones have all fallen sharply.
OBAMA: The potential here is for cheaper, more effective services that are provided. And this is just one example of what we can do all across the economy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The question here is whether or not, we're going to do more to empower customers and give them a choice.
CORKE: The president's executive order directs 12 agencies of the federal government to look for ways to increase competition and innovation. And sets into motion, a 60-day clock.
At the end of which, agencies must report their findings. But some industry groups call the president's plan a gross overreach. Warning it can lead to higher prices. And weaken the independence of the agency charged with industry oversight.
Senior executive vice president Jim Cicconi of AT&T tweeted, "White House seems unconcerned with the precedent it is setting or the damage it is doing to the FCC."
Added U.S. telecom president Walter McCormick, quote, "The administration's disregard for the integrity of the rule making process is appalling."
Experts acknowledge the president's move might also be a subtle election year nod to his party's base, but could have lasting implications well beyond this presidency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is unprecedented and I think needs some attention so we know where we're going with this. What kind of president we are having.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CORKE: Interesting, Bret. All this is unfolding within the broader context of executive action. And as you know on Monday, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear more arguments in the president's deferred action immigration policies. Of course, that also brought on by executive action.
Bret?
BAIER: Kevin Corke live in the North Lawn.
Kevin, thank you.
General Motors is recalling more than a million trucks due to faulty seatbelts. The trucks being recalled are 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.
The company says that wear and tear on seatbelts may not hold the driver in during a crash although it has no reports of injuries due to those seatbelts.
The Dow lost 29 today. The S&P 500 was down 2. The NASDAQ dropped 8. For the week, all the markets were positive. The Dow and NASDAQ were both up 1 4/5 percent. The S&P 500 jumped and 1 and 3/5.
Your tax dollars going to help illegal immigrants back in their home country. You want to hear this, it's all your money, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:29:09] BAIER: Illegal immigrants crossing the border are being sent back home. It sounds good, but it turns out, once they get there, the U.S. is helping them financially.
Chief Washington correspondent James Rosen reminds us, it's all your money.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMES ROSEN, FOX NEWS CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Arizona's border with Mexico, site of roughly half of all illegal border crossings into the United States. Last fiscal year, the U.S. deported about 4,500 illegals a week. But 500 of them being sent back each week to their native El Salvador.
They are among the luckiest because a federal agency, the Inter-American Foundation is spending up to $50,000 a year to assist Salvadorans after they arrive back in their homeland including helping them start their own business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And so once they are deported, then we set them up in business. It makes no sense to me.
ROSEN: The Inter-American Foundation did not respond to our request for comment. But in documents online, we learned the IAF works through a local NGO called El Instituto Salvadoreno del Migrante or INSAMI, which claims to help 60 Salvadorans a year with this money. INSAMI will help return migrants including deportees facilitate their reintegration into their communities. This, INSAMI said, helps ensure their abilities are appreciated, their concerns understood, and their needs met.
But what about the needs of those who protect our borders?
SHAWN MORAN, NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL: Agents do not have the tried and true tools they need to law enforcement conduct operations. Agents are using radios that oftentimes they can see a border patrol station from the hill along the border, yet they can't talk to it.
ROSEN: Less than three week ago the Department of Homeland Security was advertising online to hire customs and border protection officers in 17 locations along the border, each for a top starting salary of just under $50,000. For that same amount the government could purchase seven all- terrain vehicles or could purchase up to 20 hours of surveillance drone flight time. Along the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, a short walk from the capital, are etched the names of any number of people who would have had their own ideas about how the government could better spend $50,000.
It would be nice to ask Rob Rosas Jr. He was a border patrol agent who was killed in the line of duty in July, 2009 near Campos, California. He was looking for suspicious activity in an area that was notorious for drug smuggling. At least three illegal immigrants killed him execution style. They pumped nine bullets into the back of Officer Rosas head. He was 30 years old and he left behind a wife and two children.
In Washington, James Rosen, FOX News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS HOST: Japan rocked by another powerful earthquake barely a day after one killed nine people in the same region. The 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the Kumamoto area, destroying homes and buckling roads. Right now at least three people are reported dead. Many more are presumed trapped or missing. Thursday's earthquake was a magnitude 6.5 and injured about 800 people along with the nine deaths. Residents have also dealt with more than 100 aftershocks.
Next, Puerto Rico's financial crisis, why should you care? A fair and balanced look on whether you could be on the hook for the island's mountain of debt.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: It's no small task -- restore fiscal order before Puerto Rico descends into chaos and puts the American taxpayer on the hook for its $70 billion in debt. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are wrangling with a plan to do just that. Correspondent Doug McKelway reports on the financial crisis there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. TOM MCCLINTOCK, (R) CALIFORNIA: This is an island paradise. People should be flocking to Puerto Rico, not fleeing from it.
DOUG MCKELWAY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: With that, California Republican Tom McClintock expressed the frustration of House conservatives who are holding up a bipartisan bill to restructure the island's crushing $70 billion debt. Speaker Paul Ryan today assembled his conference to calm fears that the public will have to pay for Puerto Rico's financial mess.
REP. PAUL RYAN, (R) SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: My number one priority as speaker of the House with respect to this issue is to keep the American taxpayer away from this. There will be no taxpayer bailout.