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Interview with Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY): House Panel Still Debating Trump Agenda Bill All-Night Session; Speaker Johnson: Trump Policy Bill May Head to Full Floor Vote Tonight; Testimony Resumes in Sean Combs Criminal Trial; Fifth Escaped New Orleans Inmate Captured, 5 Still on the Run. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired May 21, 2025 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: ... was there to make sure that everyone was in their place, that there was no wild Muppets running around, doing things they weren't supposed to be doing, and making sure that Kermit was on time and had all his stuff together. I won't use the other word I was going to use. Yes, there's someone whose actual job it is to wrangle the Muppets.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I will say forevermore, our stage managers will be known as Muppet Wranglers.

SIDNER: Muppet Wranglers.

BERMAN: All right.

SIDNER: Bam.

Thank you, Sara Sidner. That was awesome. Kermit was lucky to get to talk to you. Thank you very much. We'll talk to you again in a little bit.

A brand new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: House Speaker Mike Johnson says the president's Big, Beautiful Bill will be up for a floor vote, full floor vote tonight. Yet they don't even know what the final version of this massive bill looks like quite yet. A key committee pulling an all-nighter, still working right now. Are there signs the Republican holdouts are giving in?

Five of the 10 men who escaped a New Orleans jail are still on the run today. Now a jail maintenance worker is also under arrest and accused of helping them.

The sheriff halting her reelection campaign amid questions about how this all happened.

And a 24-year-old man is now under arrest after posing as a teenage high school student. How authorities made the alarming discovery.

Sara is clearly on assignment this morning. I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

BERMAN: All right, breaking this morning, the marathon meetings on Capitol Hill still marathoning. The House Rules Committee convened at the bleary-eyed hour of 1 a.m. to debate the president's huge tax and spending legislation before it can move to the floor. We've seen no final version of this bill, neither have members who will vote on it as soon as today because the House speaker says he wants to put it on the floor as soon as tonight.

This is what he told our Lauren Fox just a few minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Is this idea of 40,000 cap over 10 years the deal at this point?

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), HOUSE SPEAKER: That's the agreement we came to. And, you know, I think the SALT caucus, as they call themselves, or it's not everything they wanted, but I think they know what a huge improvement that is for their constituents, and it gives them a lot to go home and talk about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Yes, what she was just talking to the speaker about was an agreement over a cap on state and local taxes that you can deduct from your returns there. That was an agreement the speaker reached with just one part of the Republicans on Capitol Hill.

On the other side, there are big concerns about the cost of all this, nearly $4 trillion over the next decade or so. And only some of that would be offset by spending cuts, including some deep reductions to Medicaid. Let's get right to Lauren Fox, who's been on Capitol Hill working the speaker, working her sources. What are you hearing?

FOX (on camera): Yes, John, this morning, the Speaker making clear that despite the fact that he has been in meetings basically all night long, he said he just slept about 45 minutes overnight, that he's feeling really optimistic about where Republicans are. He's feeling like they finally are circling around a tentative agreement on that SALT cap. That's been really important to some of these swing district Republicans from high tax districts.

He also feels like despite the fact that conservatives aren't going to be thrilled about giving these New York Republicans part of an increase in this SALT deduction, that he believes they recognize it's important that they have to do this and that it helps protect the majority in the next election.

Now, there are a lot of landmines still to come. The House Rules Committee has been meeting overnight. We expect that this debate could go on throughout the day, potentially even into early evening before they finally pass a rule that will govern the debate on the House floor for this bill. But he's really optimistic that they could vote tonight, John. And that is something that is obviously a even speedier deadline than what we had been thinking and anticipating.

But here's the bottom line on Capitol Hill. If you think you have the votes, you go to the floor and you vote before that momentum starts to shift, before there's public momentum against the bill. That is certainly where Johnson's head's at this morning.

We'll see throughout the day, and we are awaiting any other potential changes to this bill which could come at any time.

BERMAN: Yes, waiting often gets in the way. The Memorial Day weekend, something I think the speaker fears in this case. Lauren Fox on Capitol Hill. Keep us posted when you hear more -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right, joining us right now to talk much more about this, Republican Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us today. So, from your viewpoint, where do things stand this morning?

[08:05:00]

REP. ANDY BARR (R-KY): Well, President Trump's engagement yesterday was absolutely critical, and only President Trump could have brought the level of unity that we have right now. I credit the President's involvement, his proactive involvement.

And this legislation is transformational. It is historic. And for the life of me, I don't know why anyone, Democrat or the grandstanders, would vote against this bill. I think it's political suicide.

Voting against this bill is voting for a $4 trillion tax increase. It's voting for increases on taxes on middle-income Americans. It's voting for tax increases on tips, tax increases on overtime. It's voting to decrease the standard deduction. It's voting to decrease the child tax credit.

So, voting for this legislation is voting for the largest tax cut in American history. And it will be jet fuel for the American economy. So, I think it's very politically perilous for anyone to vote against -- to vote no on this bill.

I'm a hard yes, because this bill will turn our economy around and the president has been key in bringing the conference together to this point. I think we're going to pass the bill tonight.

BOLDUAN: And we will see on that. There's a lot of clearly conversations going on behind the scenes right now. But one thing that we did hear of from some Republicans coming out of the meeting is that the president did not convince them to be on board.

They are still concerned that the votes are not there. Let me play this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ANDY HARRIS (R-MD): The president, I don't think, convinced enough people that the bill is adequate the way it is. REP. WARREN DAVIDSON (R-OH): I couldn't vote for this bill right now. I mean, it grows deficit spending right now. So, it does raise the debt limit. We need to do that. But it doesn't cut spending.

REP. ERIC BURLISON (R-MO): I ran on balancing the budget. I don't know that I could sleep at night if I don't stick to that.

REP. ANDY OGLES (R-TN): I would say that if the vote were held right now, it dies a painful death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: How do you address the concerns over how much this costs? And how much this adds to the deficit? Is it even possible to allay those concerns at this point?

BARR: Well, look, first of all, the CBO score is wrong. The CBO has been wrong repeatedly. It was wrong when it projected budget surpluses with the Inflation Reduction Act, the Green New Deal.

It was wrong by almost half a trillion dollars. It was wrong when they scored the first Trump tax cuts. They were wrong by over a trillion dollars.

Why? Because the CBO doesn't do this scoring dynamically. And what we know about this bill is it's jet fuel for the economy.

BOLDUAN: You said the CBO is wrong, but your fellow Republicans are concerned because the CBO is the only nonpartisan scorekeeper that Congress has. And I have seen, and I have highlighted over the years in covering Congress, how lawmakers on both sides of the aisle lean on the CBO when it is to their benefit and say what you just said when it is not to their benefit. So it is definitely used in a partisan way, though it is a nonpartisan arm, and their duty is to score these things.

So you have Republicans in your conference who do not agree with you and who are very concerned about this adding 3.8 trillion to the deficit.

BARR: Well, it won't. It won't, and I'll tell you why, Kate, because this is jet fuel for the economy. We will never get our debt and deficit under control.

We will never balance the budget if we don't have robust economic growth. We have to grow this economy so fast. And I think with this bill, we will grow our economy over 4 percent GDP because of the massive stimulus that it will provide.

We will never balance the budget if we do not grow the economy. And this bill will grow our economy so fast that what we owe starts to shrink relative to the overall size of the economy. With the other policies that we're putting into place, including --

BOLDUAN: The concern with some of your colleagues, though, is that what you're looking at is 10 years out. And y'all might not even be in Congress 10 years from now, and a lot can change as we can see in a matter of four. So one of the things, though, I want to ask you about from the CBO is in this analysis, it does say that in 2027, two years from now, the bill's combination of tax cuts and spending cuts is going to decrease the household resources of the bottom 10 percent of households by 2 percent, while increasing resources for the top 10 percent of households by 4 percent.

So the wealthy will see an increase in resources, the least wealthy will see a decrease. You might not believe it, but are you concerned when that is --

BARR: Wrong, wrong, wrong.

BOLDUAN: I understand you think that is wrong, wrong, wrong.

BARR: That's wrong.

BOLDUAN: But let me ask you a question.

BARR: Let me tell you what the facts are. No, Kate, let me tell you what the facts are. The Congressional Budget Office is wrong.

[08:10:00]

BOLDUAN: Congressman, I understand, let me ask my question. Let me ask my question about it.

BARR: Let me explain.

BOLDUAN: I understand, but I'm going to ask the question first. I'm going to ask the question real quick first. And I'm not really here to get in a fight.

I want people at home to be able to hear us. You think it is wrong. You have Republican colleagues who this is what is concerning them and why they are not, right now they are not a yes vote.

So if you have fellow Republicans who are concerned that this is what they are going to have to face questions on going home, does that not give you any pause about what the result of this could be for you?

BARR: No, in fact, I see more unity today, this morning than ever before. And we are going to pass the bill. A lot of those concerns have been allayed with some of the last minute changes and because of the president's engagement.

But the reality is that if we don't pass the bill, this is a $1,700 tax increase for the average family. In Kentucky, for a family of four that earns $61,000 a year, if we don't pass the bill, it's a $1,200 tax increase. That is not --

BOLDUAN: Is that based on the Congressional Budget Office?

BARR: This is not a tax cut for the wealthy. Kate, let me tell you something. The top rate on the wealthiest Americans today is 37 percent. After we pass this bill, the top rate on the wealthiest Americans will be 37 percent. It's the same. The tax cut is targeted for the middle income of Americans and for small businesses.

If we don't pass this bill, small Main Street businesses, pass through entities these, will face a 23 percent tax increase. This is the largest tax cut in American history and it's targeted to Main Street businesses, families with kids will face a $500 tax increase. Those are middle income families with kids.

If we don't pass the bill, this expands the standard deduction by $2,000. It expands the child tax credit by $500 --

BOLDUAN: So here's a question.

BARR: -- for middle income Americans.

BOLDUAN: With all of those things you're listing out --

BARR: All of this analysis about this not being targeted to the lower and middle income Americans is just a lie. It's totally false.

BOLDUAN: When you had mentioned something important there --

BARR: This helps average Americans.

BOLDUAN: Something important there. You said the last minute changes. Would you support not pushing this through and voting on this today and giving this more time so you can explain all of these changes and maybe get more analysis so people can understand the actual impact of it?

BARR: No, Kate, no, no. This is spin that's not correct. The bill worked through regular order, 12 different committees, the Ways and Means Committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee.

The vast majority of the bill is done. There were two changes that are happening in a manager's amendment today that everyone is aware of that's bringing everybody together. And the president yesterday, his engagement was essential to bringing the SALT Caucus on board and the deal is done there and bringing some of the Freedom Caucus members there as well.

Remember, you cannot balance the budget. And this is my argument to some of my friends and I'm a fiscal hawk as well. I understand as a member of the Financial Services Committee that the Moody's downgrade is a big deal and that we need to send a virtuous signal to investors in the treasury market.

That's why we need growth. Yes, we need fiscal discipline. Of course we do. That's why we need a rescissions package to codify some of the DOGE changes. That's why we need more reforms in spending. But, and we need to reverse some of the overspending that caused the inflation crisis under the Biden administration.

But we have to have economic growth. This bill is jet fuel for the American economy. And if we don't do it, anyone who votes against this bill, whether you're a grandstander or a Democrat who votes against this bill is voting for a $4 trillion tax increase, a tax increase on 68 percent of Americans.

To me, that's political suicide. Credit the president for this one Big, Beautiful Bill which is going to save the country and put us on a rocket trajectory for the economy.

BOLDUAN: Congressman Andy Barr, thanks for coming in. We'll see what happens today.

Coming up for us, rapper Kid Cudi, set to take the stand in the sex trafficking trial against Sean Diddy Combs as we continue to learn more about what happened at those so-called freak-offs.

And new overnight, a fifth inmate has now been recaptured after escaping from a New Orleans jail days ago, who is now being accused of helping the 10 inmates break out and why that person is facing charges.

And a scary moment for a climber who became stranded on the side of a cliff after falling 30 feet. An amazing rescue caught on camera.

[08:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, this morning, new testimony in the criminal sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs. We could hear soon from rapper Kid Cudi about his relationship with Cassie Ventura. The jury briefly heard from her mother, who testified that Combs beat her daughter when he learned of her involvement with Kid Cudi.

The mother took photos of her daughter's bruises and said Combs demanded that she wire him $20,000. The jury also heard from a male exotic dancer who testified that Combs paid him to have sexual encounters with Ventura in hotel rooms. CNN's Kara Scannell outside the courthouse for the latest.

What we expect today -- Kara?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, as you said, the rapper Kid Cudi could be on the witness stand this afternoon. He had a relationship with Ventura, and it is -- we're in the moment of this case where the testimony has been about that. That is in part what Cassie Ventura's mother testified about yesterday when she said that she'd received this demand from Combs for $20,000 that she said she felt she had to pay for her daughter's safety.

This comes as Cassie Ventura had sent her an e-mail saying that Combs was about to go public and released to sexually explicit videos.

[08:20:00]

And she also told her mother that Combs had threatened to have someone physically harm herself. That's Cassie Ventura, as well as Kid Cudi, who she started dating at this period in their relationship.

So that all comes together is how prosecutors were suggesting the mother made this payment of $20,000. Now the $20,000 was returned with nothing at nothing -- no explanation, but it is part of this moment in the testimony where that's where we expect Kid Cudi to be asked about that as well as his car blowing up. That was something that Ventura had also testified about when she was on the witness stand last week.

When court resumes shortly, it will be an agent from the Homeland Security Investigations back on the witness stand. His testimony started yesterday. He was involved in the search of Combs' Miami home, and he was showing the jury some of the evidence that they were covered, including lingerie, baby oil, lubricant as well as a AR-15s.

And he was on the witness stand. There was a metal evidence cart beside him. He put on blue latex gloves, picked up a piece of one of the AR-15s in the evidence bag, cut it open, took it out and walked it over to the jury so they could see the machinery in person.

In addition to the parts of the gun, they also show the jury magazines and bullets that they that were found in Combs' bedroom closet. His testimony will resume, and then they're also expected to get to a psychologist, a former employee of Combs. And then if there's time, Robert Kid Cudi could be on the stand this afternoon -- John.

BERMAN: We know you will be in the courtroom. Great to have you there. Kara Scannell, thank you very much.

This morning, former President Biden pushing back on Republicans questioning the timeline of his cancer diagnosis. We have brand new medical details the former president released.

And breaking overnight, the Department of Justice launching an investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, how he is now responding this morning.

[08:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: The situation in New Orleans is still unfolding this morning. Authorities recaptured a fifth escapee overnight. The manhunt though continues for the five convicts still on the run. We're learning more about how they escaped from the jail.

On Friday they apparently had help from the inside. A maintenance worker at the jail is now under arrest and facing at least 10 charges. That man, as you see right there, Sterling Williams, allegedly shut off the water to a toilet to help clear the way for the inmates to escape through a hole behind it. According to the attorney general's office, one of them threatened to shank Williams if he did not help the convicts escape.

The New Orleans Parish District attorney addressed the escape and his own personal safety concerns yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON WILLIAMS, ORLEANS PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I am personally afraid not just for myself but for my lawyers who tried the case against the individual twice. We were asking for a life sentence of this man. And he is now at large.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining us right now to talk more about what this search looks like now is bounty hunter Zeke Unger. Thanks for being here, Zeke.

They escaped on Friday. I mean, how does a search like this change and shape and shift as you look now 56 days out with five men still on the run?

ZEKE UNGER, BOUNTY HUNTER: Well, the concerns are is we have multiple fugitives. Normally you have one fugitive or two fugitives on the loose at one time. We have now five fugitives that are on the run, all with their own support system.

This could take months. This could take years in order to bring these individuals back into justice.

BOLDUAN: Do you assume that they are together or have kind of broken off and gone on their own? What's the most likely scenario in your experience?

UNGER: Well, in the fugitive game, we say we never assume we always investigate. You can never tell in these situations if they're together or apart where they're at. They could be in different states.

They could leave the country. They could change their appearance. Law enforcement has a lot of tools at their disposal, but it takes time to work. These cases are very time sensitive. There's a lot of threat out there.

I believe that the special enforcement units working with the U.S. Marshals using physical and electronic surveillance, DNA and other tools at their disposal will bring these individuals to justice. But it is going to be timely.

BOLDUAN: When you talk about the physical and electronic surveillance, saying that that is key. I mean, what tools are they likely using beyond hoping for tips from the public to help them out?

UNGER: Well, long hours of physical surveillance on people that the suspects may know family members, children, locations, along with electronic surveillance, financial, cellular and other electronic surveillance, DNA. Those types of issues will come into play.

BOLDUAN: A lot. A lot is needed. I think I saw more than 200 law enforcement officers now involved in this search, trying to bring them back to recapture them once again.

Zeke Unger, thank you so much for coming in. Still ahead for us, a 24 year old man arrested after allegedly posing

as a high school student for over a year, even tricking a family into taking him in. The details on how he was discovered, coming up.

And Sara Sidner out on assignment having fun with Kermit the Frog ahead of his big commencement address at the University of Maryland graduates. Hey Sara.

[08:30:00]