Trump's Top Economic Adviser Quits Amid Tariff Fight; Moon: Keep Up Sanctions On North Korea For Now; Civilians Trapped Inside "Hell On Earth" Speak Out; Anti-Immigrant Attackers Convicted Of Terror Charges.
GORANI: Well, now to the Korean Peninsula, a day after the South made a surprise announcement that the North would be willing to talk to America about scrapping its nuclear program. The two Koreans held unprecedented talks this week. Meantime, South Korean President Moon Jae-in is warning that as long as the North has nuclear weapons, sanctions should stay in place. A couple developments to look at here. Will Ripley joins us. He is now live from Seoul. You made your way from Beijing. So, what the South is saying is, do not get too far ahead of yourself. We are happy to talk, but so long as you are engaging in this type of nuclear program, we are not going to give you sanctions relief.</s>WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And it's an interesting diplomatic dance that President Moon Jae-in is having to do here in Seoul because on the one hand, he does want to alienate the North Koreans. They are just sort of developing a rapport. There obviously has this inter- Korean Presidential Summit coming up in April with Kim Jong-un, which will be significant. But at the same time, he has been accused by President Trump in the past of appeasing the North Koreans. So, he has to appear strong and tough. So, you hear him talking publicly about sanctions. He gave a speech a couple days ago, you know, talking about South Korea needing to continue to bolster its defense capabilities, including long- range radar, you know, stronger ballistic missiles that sort of thing. So, the South Koreans really are the man in the middle here, but so far, they have managed to make the North Koreans happy enough to continue moving forward with the process. Obviously, they are delivering a message from the North Koreans to Washington and the same time, they've got the buy in of the United States. Not an easy thing to do -- Hala.</s>GORANI: So, we were discussing yesterday the possibility that North Korea was serious in its proposal, serious about giving up its nuclear weapons program. But really the question is why would it at this stage? What is in it for them?</s>RIPLEY: Well, and -- are they really serious about the type of denuclearization that the United States is talking about, which is complete, verifiable, or would denuclearization for them mean a freeze like what they are doing right now and maybe a long-term meaning like 10 years or more very slow dismantling that would allow them the opportunity to pull back at the administrations in the U.S. or South Korea change and start the program right back up again. But what they would want in exchange what I think basically -- even in their state media yesterday, they were calling for the United States to get rid of their nuclear weapons, which, you know, we know that's not going to happen. Remember when President Trump said, if you're great, we lived in the world where nobody need nukes, but that is not reality. That is almost as the North Korea mindset as well. You know, they also want U.S. troops out of here, out of South Korea and joint military drills. So, you know, what they would want exchange, it makes you really wonder if this is a serious possibility here.</s>GORANI: Will Ripley live in Seoul, thanks very much. The Syrian government is planning an apocalypse in Eastern Utah, that is the accusation being leveled by the U.N. Human Rights chief. It's probably how the thousands of people trapped in the Syrian rabble already feel, by the way. Not that it is going to happen, but that they are living it right now. Bombs continue to fall, and the horrific humanitarian situation is threatening to get a whole lot worst. Aid groups are locked out of the area because of the bombing. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has this report.</s>JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There seems to be no place on earth where it's harder to dodge the bombs right now than Eastern Ghouta. No Security Council resolution and no Russian promises had stopped the bombs or the stopped the death toll rising every single day. There's little to smile about in Eastern Ghouta where everyone has lost something or someone, yet they still smile. Most of Baby (inaudible) 28- day life has been spent underground. That is the only place families have left, just maybe it will be enough to protect them from the bombs raining down on them. (Inaudible) says his family's livelihood, a little welding shop, was destroyed. His children are out of school. They use what they could find to play and forget. Civilians are skeptical of offers to evacuate to so- called humanitarian corridors.</s>ABU RAFAD, EASTERN GHOUTA RESIDENT (through translator): We are waiting for God to help us. They talk about corridors (inaudible) what corridors? They haven't spared us the tanks, artillery and Russian planes and they want us to go and have ourselves over.</s>KARADSHEH: In another basement, another family and another story, 5-year-old Lamar with a big smile speaks with things most her age, but not (inaudible). Her house was bombed by planes, she says, her toys burned. Like others, they've given up on the international community saving them.</s>RAFAD (through translator): (Inaudible) condemnation, concern, we have seen nothing from them over the past seven or eight years. No resolution they have passed has stopped the shelling. Give me one resolution the regime or Russia have abided by.</s>KARADSHEH: It seems like it's a matter of time before the regime recaptures Eastern Ghouta. Time that feels like an eternity for those trapped in this town. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Eastern Ghouta.</s>GORANI: Well, the war in Syria has produced a flood of refugees. While they faced a backlash in many countries, few cases have been as vicious as a series of attacks in Germany where refugee homes were firebombed. Now -- and this is an interesting case -- several right-wing extremists have been convicted, and the charge that they did face was one of terrorism. CNN's Atika Shubert reports from Dresden.</s>ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are known as the Freital group, seven men and one woman charged with multiple attacks on refugees, and their trial marks a legal shift in Germany, far right extremists charged with terror offenses. In 2015, the country was coping with the influx of more than a million refugees. Small German towns like Freital oppressed into service by the government to provide refugee homes. While many welcomed the new comers, others did not. Protests tried to prevent the entry of refugees into the town unsuccessfully. The defendants turned to violence, including firebombing three refugee homes, among other targets, that left two people injured and could have been deadly the judge said. Stefie Brethel (ph) received a letter bomb from the Freital group because of her work to find housing for refugees. She welcomed the verdict. She told us my son was attacked by them. I came here today to show them that I'm still here speaking out and you are going to prison, she says. The defendants admitted the attacks, but claimed they were, quote, "spontaneous." The judge found all the defendants guilty of being members of a terror organization. Six guilty of attempted murder and two as accessories. The longest sentence 10 years for the ring leaders, a harsh sentence that one defense lawyer objected to.</s>MICHAEL SHAWN, DEFENSE LAWYER: It was a very local incident. The rest (inaudible), no question, but from my point of view, not to hold Federal Republic of Germany wasn't any danger at all so from my point of view, there is no terrorist organization.</s>SHUBERT: Now, the defendants can appeal this verdict, but this case sends a clear message that far right hate crimes can and will be prosecuted as terror offenses. Atika Shubert, CNN, Dresden, Germany.</s>GORANI: Still to come tonight, a porn star takes on a president, Stormy Daniels is suing Donald Trump in a case that could be a big problem for him in more ways than one. We'll be right back. COMMERCIAL BREAK)</s>HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: In any other White House, word of hush money paid to a porn star who reportedly has an affair with the president would send shockwaves through America. But we're not living in ordinary times. The story of Stormy Daniels has been out for weeks and it's now taking yet another dramatic new turn. Sara Sidner reports Daniels wants to talk and she's suing Donald Trump for the right to tell all.</s>SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Porn star Stormy Daniels suing President Trump, seeking to invalidate the nondisclosure agreement she signed just days before the 2016 presidential election, preventing her from talking about their alleged sexual encounter.</s>JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, ABC'S JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!: You can't say whether you have a nondisclosure agreement. But if you didn't have a nondisclosure agreement, you most certainly could say, "I don't have a nondisclosure agreement," yes?</s>STORMY DANIELS, SUING DONALD TRUMP: You're so smart, Jimmy.</s>KIMMEL: Thank you very much.</s>SIDNER: The lawsuit argues that the agreement is null and void, because it was not signed by Mr. Trump, referred to in the document by a pseudonym "David Dennison." Daniels's lawyer says Mr. Trump "purposely did not sign the agreement so he could later, if need be, publicly disavow any knowledge of the contract and Ms. Daniels." According to the complaint, Daniels had an intimate relationship with Mr. Trump that began in the summer of 2006 and continued "well into 2007." The adult film star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, considered sharing her story in 2016 after the "Access Hollywood" tape surfaced.</s>TRUMP: I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.</s>BILLY BUSH, FORMER ACCESS HOLLYWOOD HOST: Whatever you want.</s>TRUMP: Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.</s>SIDNER: The complaint alleges Trump's long-time attorney, Michael Cohen, intervened, paying Daniels $130,000. Daniels says Mr. Trump knew about the payment, which she calls hush money. Last week, Cohen admitted to paying Ms. Daniels but insisted that neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment either directly or indirectly. The lawsuit says Cohen has continued to intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and shut her up in order to protect Mr. Trump. Even as recently as February 27, when Cohen filed a bogus arbitration against Daniels without giving her notice of the proceeding and basic due process. In the lawsuit, Daniels also alleges Cohen coerced her into signing this statement in January, which states that reports of her relationship with Mr. Trump were false. Sara Sidner, CNN, Los Angeles.</s>GORANI: Well, President Trump has denied having any sexual encounter with Stormy Daniel, but listen to what the porn star's attorney said this morning.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does she have a sexual relationship with the president?</s>MICHAEL AVENATTI, ATTORNEY OF STORMY DANIELS: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does she still have photos, images, text messages, documents that verify this claim?</s>AVENATTI: That's a question that Ms. Daniels will have to ultimately answer.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know the answer to that question?</s>AVENATTI: I do know the answer, but I'm not at liberty to disclose it this morning.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you went in court and a judge says, you know what? This agreement is not valid. Wouldn't she have to return the money she accepted pursuant to this agreement?</s>AVENATTI: I think she may have to. And she's prepared to do that.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is she looking to sell her story?</s>AVENATTI: No, she's looking to disclose the truth about what happened.</s>GORANI: Just a short time ago, White House spokesperson said President Trump has already won an arbitration case against Stormy Daniels, but Sarah Sanders refused to give further details. Let's break all of this down with CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney, Joey Jackson. Joey, thanks for being with us. So When Stormy Daniels' attorney says, well, there was no other signature on that confidentiality agreement which means it's null and void. Is that legally -- does that hold up legally?</s>JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST AND CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The short answer is -- and great to be with you, Hala, is no. Listen, here's the reality. What we do in contract law, is you look at the actual legal issue relating to the contract, then you look at the equitable issue. Let's talk about the legal first. In a contract, there's an offer to be made, there's acceptance of that matter, and then there's what we call consideration which in English is money. Here, you plainly had an offer, $130,000, if you're quiet. We had acceptance, she signs, Stormy Daniels, anything she need to, and she was given money. So therefore, all of the legal requirements of the contract had made. You don't look at right simply there' a signature missing and as a result of a signature missing, aha, the law doesn't say that the signature is what's determinative. What's determinative is the intent of the parties and offer -- the acceptance of the offer and the payment. So all of those conditions have met. And as a matter of equity, I don't see a court disturbing at final point, Hala, and that's this, if you look at the very first paragraph of the contract itself, as I'm looking at, it says that she could sign, right? She has to sign, but that this person named David Dennison, Donald Trump, need not sign because the corporation could sign on his behalf. So I just don't see this lawsuit as having any --</s>GORANI: So, can she get out of this confidentiality agreement in any other way at all or not? And how?</s>JACKSON: Yes. The other argument, Hala, is that -- to be made is that there was a waiver on the other plot. So for example, a contract between two parties, both sides have obligations to meet the terms of that contract. The other argument her lawyer is making is that there was a waiver that means that, you know what? Because the lawyer is speaking, because Mr. Cohen is speaking about it, he's waived and violated the provisions, and therefore, it's no, I can speak too. And to me, that may be the better argument, though I don't even think they prevail on that argument either.</s>GORANI: Now, what about in -- over the duration, does this confidentiality agreement cover the natural life of the person finding it? I mean, is there after a few years, some sort of a point at which you can discuss these confidentials, these things you'd agreed not to discuss in exchange for money?</s>JACKSON: It's a great point, but it's one that lawyers have long since thought of. If you look at any contract, it'll say it binds you. It binds you and successors and the newborn, yet not born. It is in perpetuity till the end of time. So the way this contracts are written are ironclad to say, you know what? No one can say anything. But interestingly enough, we're talking about this where the confidentiality agreement it seems the world knows that there was a relationship and that's the irony and even having this discussion. She wants to tell the full story. But I think the public is very well aware of many elements of the story.</s>GORANI: Or she might have pictures or texts. I mean, her lawyer wouldn't comment on that on another network. He gave an interview this morning, but it's possible that -- what happens, legally, to her if she goes ahead and tells her story anyway?</s>JACKSON: The contract also contemplates that. First, in terms of a text or pictures. The contract talks about how she's not supposed to share any of that and how that was already given over to Donald Trump's lawyer. So that's number one. Number two, there's something called a liquidated damage provision in the contract. What that means in English, is that both parties have anticipated that if it's reached then either, A, she has to disgorge all the money. That mens give back the $130,000. But, B, the liquidated damage clause means, we've decided that it'll be worth $1 million if you violate. And that's why -- and so when answer to your question, she could be out of pocket $1 million if the court finds she's in violation of the agreement.</s>GORANI: Can she be in any criminal trouble? I mean, if it's a question of $1 million, I'm sure some people would be happy to pay up to hear the story.</s>JACKSON: It's a great point. There's no criminality here. This is a contract -- people enter into contracts all the time. Some parties breach contracts. You don't go to jail for breaching them, but it could really hurt your wallet. If you do, hence for a lawyer trying to get that declaratory judgment, which again is going to court, having the court -- the clear the contract null and void. If they do that, she could sing like a canary and she could be on your show talking about the essence of that relationship.</s>GORANI: Now, Sarah Sanders, the press secretary, had this to say. She mentioned a case that had already been won in arbitration. If you could shed some light on that. We'll listen to this sound and get back to you, Joey.</s>SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president has denied the allegations against him. And again, this case has already been won in arbitration. Anything beyond that, I would refer you to outside counsel.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said that there's arbitration that's already been won by whom and when?</s>SANDERS: By the president's personal attorneys, and for details on that, I would refer you to them.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you're aware of them, so what can more -- can you share with us?</s>SANDERS: I can share that the arbitration was won in the president's favor. And I would refer you to the president's outside counsel on any details beyond that.</s>GORANI: So, Joey, what does this mean? What should we read in to those statements by Sarah Sanders?</s>JACKSON: So number one, an arbitration is preceding where it's not a court, it's not a person in a robe, it's not a courtroom. It's an individual that both parties hire to interpret what went -- who was right and who was wrong. And most contracts have provisions for arbitration which keeps you outside of court. Now, there's an argument to be made and she's saying that, hey, they went to arbitration without even notifying me. And so if there was such a proceeding where an arbitrator, which has to rule on whether provisions of the contract, they're accurate, whether provisions are violated. If an actual arbitrator heard the case, Stormy Daniels' position is, it was without me because I didn't even know that there was an arbitration proceeding. And so if you don't know, and you don't appear, you're forfeit. But then again, if you're not noticed to appear, it's null and void anyway. So the president may have a decision in his favor, but if that decision was not known to by Stormy Daniels nor if she appeared to represent herself, then that in and of itself is null and void.</s>GORANI: Thank you for explaining all of this so clearly. Joey Jackson, as always, a pleasure having you on the program.</s>JACKSON: Thank you, Hala.</s>GORANI: And staying in the U.S., a grand jury has formally charged Nikolas Cruz with 17 counts of murder, following that mass shooting at a high school in Florida. Cruz is facing a total of 34 counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder. He confessed to being the gunman, according to an affidavit released shortly after his arrest. And we're hearing from the public defender's office that Cruz is willing to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty. Now, the students of that high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas were paid a surprise visit by an NBA, a basketball star. And it was finally a happy moment for them. Take a look.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dwyane Wade, yay.</s>GORANI (voice-over): Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade stopped by the campus. Here are some video of that moment. One of the shooting victim was buried and waves jersey. Here's what Wade tweeted about last week. "It's way bigger than basketball. We are the voices for the people that don't get to be heard. Joaquin Oliver, may you rest in peace. And I dedicate my return and the rest of this Miami Heat season to you."</s>GORANI: Don't forget to check out our Facebook page, facebook.com/halagoranicnn. After the break tonight, a key Trump aide calls it quits over the president's proposed tariffs. U.S. stocks are sinking. We tell you why investors also think and many economists, by the way, also think this is a really bad idea. And getting the red carpet and the protest lines. Saudi Arabia's crown prince heads to the UK. We'll look at why this visit is so important and also so controversial. We'll be right back.