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Hundreds of Ballots Destroyed In Ballot Box Fires; Harris, Trump Legal Teams Preparing For Historic Legal Fights; Judge Rejects GOP Lawsuit Challenging Vetting Process For Pennsylvania Overseas Ballots; Tonight: Harris Leans Into "To-Do List" During Ellipse Speech; Sean "Diddy" Combs Faces 2 New Sexual Assault Lawsuits. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired October 29, 2024 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So they're telling people, for Washington State, go to vote.gov, for Oregon, Oregon votes.org/myvote to track the status of your ballot so you can see whether it's been processed, whether it's been counted.

And because there are only less than 1 percent in the -- in the Portland and Seattle areas, for example, one less than 1 percent of voters who actually vote in-person at polling places, these drop boxes are extremely important.

They're heavily utilized in a way that perhaps they're not as used in other states because of that heavy emphasis on vote by mail. So this is very concerning for potentially a lot of voters there.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Natasha Chen, thank you so much for that update.

Still ahead, could the election be decided in a courtroom after Americans vote?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: CNN takes a look at how both campaigns are readying for a potential all-out legal fight, including already drafting lawyers in battleground states.

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[14:35:37]

KEILAR: If this is the tightest presidential race in recent times, the legal maneuvering by both parties will be in overdrive.

SANCHEZ: In fact, the plotting is already underway and has been for some time with both Republicans and Democrats bracing for court battles that could ultimately decide the race and who gets the White House.

CNN chief legal affairs correspondent, Paula Reid, is here to explain how both parties are preparing.

Paula, what are you hearing from these legal teams?

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Its fascinating. I've been talking to both sides for weeks now, and they have been preparing both sides for years for litigation around the presidential race.

Now it's interesting. There is consensus on the Republican side. They just cannot have a repeat of what happened in 2020, where they lost 61 out of 62 cases. They had lawyers who had been sanctioned, even criminally charge.

So a source familiar with their strategy told me the number-one priority was hiring good lawyers. And I'm told the former president came to realize that he needed to spend money on lawyers and also litigate questions before the election and not after.

Now, Democrats, on their part, they have put together a powerhouse team, former White House counsel, Dana Remus, also two former solicitor generals, election expert, Marc Elias, and Biden personal -- president, Biden's personal attorney, Bob Bauer.

And Dana Remus told me that their whole mantra is just prepare, prepare, prepare. They know the Republicans started earlier. They've started earlier too.

Now as part of these preparations, they have engaged in network of state-level attorneys. So if they see an issue in any state, they're prepared to reach out to that lawyer with expertise to do whatever they need to do.

Now, both sides have also engaged in wargaming. They've worked through different scenarios.

For example, on the Republican side, they even war gamed natural disasters. And when they saw hurricanes obviously hit Florida and North Carolina, they said, ah, this is what we trained for.

And lastly, the Democrats have also drafted thousands of pages of pleadings. So if there is an issue, they're going to be ready the courthouse -- go to the courthouse, be ready to go.

KEILAR: Like they can just grab the template for it.

REID: Grab and go.

KEILAR: Really interesting.

OK, so we've covered -- we've talked about it, we've covered on the program this lawsuit in Pennsylvania by Republicans that deals with the uniformed overseas voters.

And there's been a ruling on this ruling on the Republicans who tried to challenge this. What happened?

REID: That's right. As we know, Republicans and Republican-aligned groups intervening in over 130 different cases. And this is an issue of overseas ballots. This is one that has drawn a lot of scrutiny about whether they are actually seeking to change the rules or if they're just trying to sow confusion.

Because they have targeted overseas ballots, which historically have been the majority members of the military. But in recent years, it's actually turning out that it's the majority of these voters are ex- pats who are ex-pat civilian expats.

Ex-pats are expected to favor Harris. So Republicans, in recent weeks, they've started targeting these with legal challenges. And they have lost in Michigan, in North Carolina. Now, in Pennsylvania.

And the judge here that he's seen similar to other challenges, which is it's too late to do this, right? Courts are very reluctant to change the rules of the game so close to an election. And were don't know about ballots that have already been sent out.

So if you cannot prove that there is some sort of clear fraud, it's unlikely you're going to change the game. So there have been questions from Democrats about why Republicans are targeting these now. Is it an attempt to actually change the rules of the game? That's what they tell you.

They said we need to know the rules before the games begins. But mail- in ballots, they're already being mailed in. And some Democrats suggest this is all part of an effort to cause confusion if they lose.

KEILAR: Yes, and this I.D. thing that they're challenging went into place before the 2022 election. And they had no issue with it. We've asked Republicans about that. They said it just came to their attention, which is kind of an interesting answer.

(CROSSTALK)

REID: They've had a lot going on, intervening in over 130 lawsuits, but, yes, they've lost all of these and they really haven't changed the rules of the game if you look at the totality of the efforts.

But I will remind you, what we talked about yesterday, almost Halloween zombie lawsuits, a lot of these challenges could be resurrected if they think that overseas ballots potentially in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, could make the difference for their candidate.

KEILAR: All right, Paula Reid, we'll be seeing a lot of you, I believe. Thank you so much.

Time running out to change voters' minds because there's only half a fortnight left.

SANCHEZ: A fortnight.

[14:39:51]

KEILAR: And so is the number of minds that can be changed. Next, we're going to talk to a former speech writer for Kamala Harris about the vice president's closing argument.

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[14:43:19]

SANCHEZ: Vice President Kamala Harris is just hours away from one of her last opportunities to reach persuadable voters. She's set to deliver her closing argument at the Ellipse, the same spot, we should note, where former President Donald Trump rallies -- had rallied his supporters on January 6th.

It's a speech that she's been previewing for days now, comparing her "to-do list" with what she describes as Donald Trump's enemies list.

Here to discuss is Gevin Reynolds, a former speech writer for Vice President Kamala Harris, and a columnist for "The Root."

Gevin, thank you so much for being with us.

What should we expect from the speech tonight?

GEVIN REYNOLDS, FORMER SPEECH WRITER FOR KAMALA HARRIS & COLUMNIST, "THE ROOT": Boris, first of all, thank you so much for having me.

So I think what I'm looking for tonight over the --it's about closing arguments, the vice president delivering her closing arguments.

[14:45:01]

Over the past three months, which is crazy to believe it's only been three months since the V.P. has been in this race at the top of the ticket, we've seen the vice president first and foremost introducing herself to the American people.

Secondly, we've seen her release some really incredible and comprehensive policies aimed at addressing the issues facing the American people.

But right now, with just one week left in this race, it's all about the vice president really drawing the contrast between herself and Donald Trump.

Not only in terms of painting him as unstable and unfit, but now also reminding Americans that they have an opportunity to turn over a new chapter and accept her way forward over the next four years.

SANCHEZ: I'm curious what you make of this memo coming out from one of the marquee super PAC that's backing Harris.

Essentially, they put for the argument that these attacks on Donald Trump being authoritarian and a Fascist are not quite as persuasive with voters as arguments about her vision for the economy, her policies when it comes to homeownership et cetera, et cetera.

And something that you noted, her introducing herself in a new light to these persuadable voters. What do you make of that distinction between attacking Donald Trump and presenting herself and her ideas?

REYNOLDS: Well, I think Vice President Harris and her campaign have showed that they can walk and chew gum at the same time. It's really not one or the other. It's both.

And what I've observed from the vice president is that she is totally capable of doing both.

And I believe, actually looking at the polling, we see that Americans really do care about strengthening our democracy. They recognize what's at stake in this election.

The backdrop of today's speech being on the Ellipse, where Donald Trump staged his January 6th coup, his insurrection, I think will do a lot of the talking for itself, allowing the vice president to really paint that vision for the next four years.

SANCHEZ: I do wonder about the speech being at the Ellipse. It's -- it's interesting, it's notable that Harris is drawing this distinction from Trump sort of echoing history.

However, she is standing in front of the White House, and this administration, when it comes to polling on a number of issues, has been unpopular. Joe Biden's favorables are underwater.

I wonder if you think there might be some blowback or perhaps some missed opportunities, some miscommunication with having her stand in front of the White House and having folks associate her with an administration that has we're seeing on the screen isn't the most popular.

REYNOLDS: Absolutely not. I think Vice President Harris standing in front of the White House will remind voters the next job that she is going to occupy come January 20th, and that's president of the United States.

The American people are looking for a leader who is ready to tackle some of the biggest problems facing our nation. Between President Biden and Vice President Harris, we've made incredible progress in solving those issues.

Right now. President -- former President Trump is going up there having hate-filled rallies in which he continues to demonstrate that he's completely unserious to solve these problems facing the American people.

I believe that Vice President Harris standing up there tonight will, with clarity, show the American people she is up to the task of leading this country forward over the next four years.

SANCHEZ: Of course, as we heard Trump today, he described her campaign as hateful and whatnot. I'm wondering what you make of that, what you make of his accusation that she is essentially a trojan horse. I believe he described her as a vessel.

What do you make of those accusations? Are they effective given that we're one week away and folks have very limited attention spans.

REYNOLDS: So, Boris, I don't think former President Trump has a much credibility or authenticity when it comes to labeling of Vice President Harris as someone who's so who's peddling hate, or any of that.

I think anyone who tuned into his rally just the other night was justifiably just flabbergasted by some of the rhetoric that was being issued. But that's the thing he's built his campaign around hate and division.

But the thing is, if you look under the hood of a lot of the polls that we've been seeing, what are we seeing? We're seeing Vice President Harris make strong gains among Independents, moderates and even Republicans.

These are folks who should be voting for former President Trump, but who recognize that we cannot have four more years of him. They like, I believe, a vast majority of Americans are ready to turn to page and to start a new chapter.

And I think this speech tonight will really underscore that for those folks at home.

SANCHEZ: We will be watching it very closely.

Gevin Reynolds, thank you so much for joining us.

REYNOLDS: Boris, thank you so much.

SANCHEZ: My pleasure.

[14:49:25]

Still plenty more news to come this afternoon. And this is a somber story, a 10-year-old boy now among those accusing Sean, "Diddy" Combs of sexual assaults. We have the details when we come back.

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KEILAR: Disturbing new allegations today against Sean "Diddy" Combs. The music mogul is now facing two new lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault.

SANCHEZ: In one, the accuser says it happened when he was 17-year-old contestant on MTVs competition show, "Making the Band." In the other suit, the accuser claims that Combs assaulted him when he was just 10- years-old.

Combs' attorneys say their client has never sexually assaulted anyone.

CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister joins us now live from Los Angeles.

Elizabeth, walk us through these new claims.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: As you said, Boris, both of these claims come from two anonymous male accusers who both alleged that they we're minors at the time that they say they we're sexually assaulted by Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Now, as you said, one of these accusers claiming that he was just a 10-year-old boy at the time that he claims he was not just sexually assaulted by Combs, but also believes that he was drugged.

This alleged incident occurred in 2005, according to the lawsuit that was filed. And he says that he met Combs at an audition of sorts in a New York hotel room.

He says that Combs gave him a soda, and after he drank that soda, he started to feel funny, which is why he thinks that he was drugged.

[14:55:00]

Then he says that Combs said to him, quote, "You have to do some stuff you don't want to do sometimes." That was what he said when he was asking him, "How badly do you want to be a star?"

Now this accuser says that he froze in terror as he was sexually assaulted. He lost consciousness. And when he woke up that he was in pain.

Now, the next accuser, the 17-year-old who claims that he was 17 at the time, he says that he was allegedly assaulted in 2008 when he was auditioning for the MTV show, "Making the Band." He says that he was repeatedly assaulted over the course of a three-day audition process.

Now, Combs does deny these allegations. When I reached out to his representatives, they did not respond to the specific allegations here. But they did say that he has never sexually assaulted anyone.

Beyond just these two lawsuits, and by my count, he is now facing 27 active lawsuits. And of course, he is incarcerated in New York awaiting his criminal trial.

KEILAR: Twenty-seven.

Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you for that latest. We appreciate it.

And next, former President Trump acknowledges the racist joke that was made at his Madison Square Garden rally. Notably, he did not apologize. Next, the campaign, though, is definitely trying to limit the damage. We'll have that next.

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