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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Florida Lawmakers Advance Bill to Limit Protection for Children; Musk Awards Million Dollar Checks to Some Wisconsin Voters; Marine Le Pen Barred from Running for Political Office in France. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired March 31, 2025 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:00]

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Thursday and all of the interviews I've heard they have been so positive and upbeat. Is that what they're like? Give us a sense of what they're like beyond just astronauts.

DAVID WOLF, FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT AND MISSION SPECIALIST: Well, that is what they're like. For example, Suni had a rescue dog for quite a few years that just loved swimming in my swimming pool and she just is a joy to be around.

I was one of her lead EVA spacewalk instructors. She was really a prodigy at learning spacewalk and conducting it and at the same time a real pleasure. She's just got the whole package and so does Butch.

SOLOMON: Yes, just incredible. I mean, look, it sounds like certainly they got a lot out of their stay and I'm sure that we will be sort of studying them and kids will be studying them and learning about them for years to come. David Wolf, appreciate you being here this morning. Thank you.

WOLF: It's a pleasure. Thank you.

SOLOMON: All right, well, still ahead. It's not unusual for teenagers to have part time jobs in the U.S., but Florida wants to make it possible for employers to put 14 year olds on overnight shifts, even on school nights. The details straight ahead.

[05:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOLOMON: Welcome back. As Florida cracks down on employers who hire undocumented migrants, some lawmakers are hoping to fill the demand for low wage workers with child labor. Last week, the state legislature advanced a bill to allow minors to work longer hours and at younger ages.

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis supports it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RON DESANTIS, (R) FLORIDA GOVERNOR: What's wrong with expecting, like, our young people to be working part time now? I mean, like, that's how it used to be when I was growing up. Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even import them illegally, when, you know, teenagers used to work at these resorts?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Now, Florida has been easing up on child labor protections for years, but this law would introduce some changes. It would allow children as young as 14 to work overnight shifts, including on school days. And the law would lift all work restrictions on 16 and 17 year olds. It would also take away their right to a guaranteed meal break.

Now, the bill is making its way through committees before the Florida Senate votes on it. But here to discuss is Jackson Oberlink, who is the legislative director for Florida for All. That's a political organization that has fought for child labor protections in the state. Jackson, great to have you this morning. Appreciate you being here.

As we just said, I mean, this bill still clearly has a few hurdles to get before a full vote. But how significant would this be if it passes? And do you expect it to?

JACKSON OBERLINK, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, FLORIDA FOR ALL: Yes, so this would be quite significant. But to be clear, this is not something completely new to the state of Florida. Last legislative session, they pushed a very similar bill that due to our advocacy and the outrage from the public, we were able to water down quite significantly and really narrow the scope of that bill.

But we said last legislative session that this would never be enough for them, that once they did this, they would keep coming back time and time again to continue to erode our child labor protections until essentially there was nothing left. We also said the same thing about their harsh crackdowns on our immigrant neighbors in our state. We knew that this was going to be an inevitable issue.

But I want to be clear about one thing, that Florida's manufactured worker shortage is also a wage shortage, and that we should be ensuring that all families have a right to fair pay so that they don't have to rely on their own children to make ends meet. And we really have to stop demonizing our immigrant neighbors in our state, because whether native born or newcomer, all children deserve a fair shot at life that isn't defined by corporate exploitation.

So this bill has another committee stop on Monday in the House of, sorry, on Tuesday in the House of Representatives. And we're going to be watching very closely to see if this continues to move. But we're hoping we're going to be able to stop at this session.

SOLOMON: You just heard the governor there essentially saying, look, why not? Why not give young people the opportunity to earn money? We did it in our day, essentially what he's getting at there.

I imagine you must hear that a lot. How do you respond to that? OBERLINK: Yes, and it's not surprising hearing that from the governor. But I have to say, this bill is not about, you know, creating opportunity for kids. Kids can already work.

I started working when I was 14 years old at Publix, which is a very popular grocery chain here in Florida. And I worked all throughout high school. But one of the key reasons that I was able to do that was because of these child labor protections, because they weren't able to force me to work late nights, overnights, these long hours without breaks, on school nights, without limitations during school hours.

If they were able to force me to do those things, then I would have prioritized my education over that job. So I was able to continue to work because of these child labor protections.

And you know kids, their minds are still developing. Their bodies are still developing. We shouldn't be overworking them, putting them in these dangerous situations when they should really be able to focus on their education. But unfortunately, education doesn't seem something that Republicans are too concerned about right now.

[05:40:00]

SOLOMON: Well, I mean, it's interesting because the bill's co-sponsors will say we're not talking about dangerous conditions here. We're talking about jobs like the ones you work at Publix.

I want to play for you a soundbite. This is from the bill's sponsor, Florida Senator Jay Collins, who addresses that, but also says that this is a parental issue. This is for parents to decide. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY COLLINS, FLORIDA STATE SENATE REPRESENTATIVE: This is a parental rights issue. And frankly, we're not talking "The Jungle by Upton Sinclair." We're talking about them working at Publix, at Piggly Wiggly. This is a parental rights thing. Parents know their kids best.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: Jackson, he says this is about Publix. This is about Piggly Wiggly. How do you respond to that?

OBERLINK: I mean, here's the thing. We know who's going to be most impacted by these kids. It's going to be low income, working class children, marginalized groups, migrant children. It's not just going to be about Publix.

I mean, think about kids who could be forced to work late nights, overnights at gas stations, a job that many adults wouldn't feel safe or comfortable doing. Why are we going to put children in these dangerous situations without any protections?

So I kind of just roll my eyes at that a little bit. It's something that I can clearly see through. Because here's the thing. We know that this isn't just something

that's being pushed in Florida. This is being pushed by a far right think tank called the Foundation for Government Accountability, who we were able to find direct connections and e-mails with between last year's sponsor and this bill. And they've been pushing rollbacks to our child labor protections across the country.

We've seen this in other states like Arkansas and Iowa. And the thing about the Foundation for Government Accountability is they're one of the founding members behind Project 2025. So they're trying to test this here in Florida to see what they can get away with.

Because Florida has often been the testing ground for their most far right extremist policies to see what they can get done here before they push it to the rest of the country and even federally. So this is nothing new. You look at Trump's cabinet, he's got many members of Florida in his cabinet. And we should be taking this very seriously for the rest of the country.

SOLOMON: Yes, Jackson, the timing of this, I mean, that this is happening as there is this crackdown on illegal immigration. What do you make of that? I mean, what does that say to you, at least from your perspective, about the real motivations here?

OBERLINK: I mean, the real motivations are clear, that they have, through their anti-immigrant policies, created a real worker shortage in our state. And so now they're looking to children to fill that gap. That's just wrong.

Right now, at the same time, they're also pushing two bills that would allow employers to sidestep our state's constitutionally required minimum wage, which over 60 percent of Floridians voted to put in place. It would allow corporations to reclassify their employees as interns or apprentices to pay them poverty wages.

So their motivation is clear. They have a crackdown on immigration. There's actually a bill that's up in the same committee on Tuesdays, this child labor bill, that would further crack down on immigration in our state's workforce. And they want to replace that labor with child labor and pay them poverty wages. It's just absolutely ridiculous.

SOLOMON: Well, as we said, I mean, there are clearly still a few hurdles here. We will obviously look to see how this develops throughout the state and throughout the legislature there. Jackson Oberlink, we appreciate you being with us this morning. Thank you.

OBERLINK: Thank you.

SOLOMON: Well, coming up, Elon Musk putting his money into Wisconsin's state Supreme Court race, and he's giving some voters million-dollar checks, despite critics who say that he's buying votes. The latest on the election and the controversy after this short break.

[05:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SOLOMON: Welcome back. I'm Rahel Solomon. And here are some of the stories we are watching for you today.

Late Sunday aboard Air Force One, President Trump said that the new tariffs he's imposing will impact a broader set of countries. He's also planning for 25 percent tariffs on all imported cars and car parts. The announcement is expected on Wednesday on what Trump is calling Liberation Day.

A California wildfire called the Silver Fire has spread to 1,000 acres. Cal Fire says that it started in the early afternoon north of Bishop near Fresno and has been spreading rapidly. Evacuation orders are now in place for several communities.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has just been found guilty of misappropriating EU funds in a closely watched embezzlement trial. Le Pen will soon learn if she will also be barred from running for political office. Right now, she leads the polls for the 2027 French presidential election. Le Pen denies any wrongdoing.

President Trump is calling on voters to back the conservative candidate in Wisconsin's state Supreme Court race. In a post on Truth Social, the president bashed liberal candidate Susan Crawford ahead of Tuesday's election, and he urged his followers to instead vote for conservative judge Brad Schimel.

Elon Musk campaigned for Schimel in Wisconsin, saying that the future of civilization hinges on the outcome. At a town hall in Green Bay yesterday, Musk had this to say about his political allegiance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELON MUSK, TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: In fact, I sort of find myself in a strange position because I don't think of myself as right. I thought myself as centrist. But then the left went all the other way in the other direction. And now everyone's a Nazi, you know, before you know it. And I'm like, oh, wait a second. Do you know what that means? Obviously not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:50:00]

SOLOMON: During the event, Musk awarded two voters $1 million checks after they signed his online petition against activist judges.

CNN's Arlette Saenz has more on the billionaire's growing investment in the election.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Musk handed out $1 million checks to two attendees at an event here in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he urged Wisconsin voters to support the conservative candidate in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Brad Schimel. Now, Musk spoke in very stark terms about the importance of this race,

as he said the future of civilization hinges on this election. He also really keyed in on the potential for redistricting the redrawing of congressional maps here in the state if the liberal candidate, Susan Crawford, were to win. Take a listen.

MUSK: What's happening on Tuesday is a vote for which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. That is why it is so significant. And whichever party controls the House, you know, to a significant degree, controls the country, which then steers the course of Western civilization.

So it's like, I feel like this is one of those things that may not seem that it's going to affect the entire destiny of humanity, but I think it will.

SAENZ: Now, Musk reprised a controversial tactic that he and his super PAC, America PAC, used in the 2024 presidential election. He handed out those million-dollar checks here at this event just hours after the state Supreme Court declined to step in after the state's attorney general, Josh Kahl, had filed a lawsuit trying to stop this cash giveaway.

It all highlights the very intense efforts that Musk has underway here in the state. He has poured over $20 million of his own personal fortune to help back the conservative candidate. The liberal candidate and her Democratic allies have really tried to use that to their advantage, trying to argue that Musk is buying a seat on the Supreme Court. Democrats are hoping that that's something that will mobilize voters who are frustrated with the big spending and his efforts to slash the federal government through DOGE in the Trump administration.

But all eyes will be on that Wisconsin race on Tuesday night, as these two candidates are vying for a single seat on the Supreme Court. The race will determine the ideological balance, whether it stays in the liberal majority or if it flips to conservative control. This will all be a big test, not just for Elon Musk's political operation, but also for President Trump, who has backed the conservative candidate in these early months of his presidency.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: A historic southern magnolia tree from the 1800s will soon be removed from the White House. It's the oldest tree on the White House grounds, planted by President Andrew Jackson. But it's in bad shape and has become a safety hazard.

The tree is set to be taken down next week, and a new one planted in its place. President Trump says that wood from the old tree would be preserved and might be put to a suitable use in the future.

All right, we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SOLOMON: All right, back to our breaking news in France. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of misappropriating EU funds in a closely watched embezzlement trial. Let's get straight to CNN's Melissa Bell, who is outside the courthouse in Paris.

Melissa, what more are we learning about this verdict?

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Rahel, we're hearing more about the sentencing and one of the most anticipated questions had been whether Marine Le Pen, who not only intends to stand in the 2027 presidential election but is actually leading in the polls ahead of that election, would be found ineligible to stand for public office.

And we have just heard from the judge presiding over this verdict and the sentencing that Marine Le Pen will be found ineligible, has been found ineligible to stand for public office. Still a number of very important questions that we have yet to get clarity on, Rahel, and those are whether that ban on standing for public office takes effect immediately or not, whether or not it'll be up for appeal.

So a number of important questions. But that political earthquake I was talking to a short while ago about has apparently been the result of this. It was with a great deal of surprise from many parts of the political classes, not simply backers of Marine Le Pen, when we'd heard in November that the prosecution was requesting not just this prison sentencing and possible fine, but also that Marine Le Pen should be barred from standing for public office.

And not only was there a great deal of surprise, a great deal of pushback against that request from the prosecution, but what we now understand is that the judge has found in favor of the prosecution, Marine Le Pen will be banned from standing for public office. That is a huge deal here in France, Rahel, given her standing in the polls, given also her party's insistence these last few months that this was a politicization of the judiciary, and there will be a great deal of noise made about this, you can be sure, from within her party.

Marine Le Pen now found guilty on these embezzlement charges, as have eight MEPs from her party and several parliamentary assistants. This is, of course, an embezzlement trial, Rahel, that goes back to EU funds that had allegedly been used to pay party workers here in France, counts on which she and several of her party officials have now been found guilty -- Rahel.

[06:00:00]

SOLOMON: Yes, 2027, really noteworthy because it would be her fourth time running, but as you sort of allude to there, she is leading in the polls, and so that's why it would be so significant if in fact she is unable to run again. Melissa Bell in Paris, thank you.

All right, and that will do it for us here on EARLY START. I will see you tomorrow. In the meantime, let's a quick market check -- because why not on a Monday morning on the week we may see additional tariffs on Wednesday and of course, the jobs on Friday. I'll see you tomorrow. CNN "THIS MORNING" starts right now.