'This Week' Transcript: Ohio Gov. John Kasich
— -- This is a rush transcript and will be updated. It may contain errors.
ANNOUNCER: Starting right now on ABC's This Week. ISIS takeover? The terrorists fighters now expanding their grip. Is President Obama's plan to contain the jihadist surge failing? Plus, the startling new claim from ISIS this morning.
PATRIOT Act chaos. The dramatic (inaudible) in a scramble. Will the government's domestic phone surveillance program be disconnected?
Hillary email mayhem. Hundreds of Clinton emails revealing new information about Benghazi and more.
And on this Memorial Day weekend, the unforgettable words in a soldiers letter home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the last thing he wrote.
ANNOUNCER: From ABC News, This Week with George Stephanopoulos begins now.
JONATHAN KARL, HOST: Good morning. I'm Jonathan Karl. It is great to have you with us on this Memorial Day weekend. We are tracking several developing stories this morning, including a middle of the night scramble in the Senate, the PATRIOT Act's domestic surveillance program is now in doubt.
And the ISIS threat. The terrorist group has captured key territory and is now making a startling new claim about nuclear weapons. But we start with protests growing in Cleveland after a white police officer was acquitted in the deaths of an unarmed black couple. Ohio Governor John Kasich joins us momentarily. But first let's get the latest from ABC's Alex Perez. Good morning, Alex.
ALEX PEREZ, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.
Authorities here today bracing for possibly another day of protests. Now, demonstrators took to the streets immediately following the judge's decision Saturday to acquit Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo in the shooting deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams back in 2012, both were unarmed.
The couple led police on a nearly 25 minute car chase. Once cornered, several officers were firing when Brelo jumped on the hood and fired 15 shots into their windshield. The judge ruled Brelo's use of deadly force was reasonable.
While there have been some arrests, protests here have been for the most part peaceful.
The victims' family members outraged by Brelo's acquittal. the Justice Department has announced they will be reviewing the judge's decision -- John.
KARL: Thank you, Alex.
Joining us now, Ohio Governor John Kasich.
Governor Kasich, there's a lot of tension we're seeing in Cleveland over this verdict. We heard from Congresswoman Marcia Fudge saying it is a stunning setback, adding today we have been told yet again our lives have no value.
So let me ask you, do you believe justice was served with this verdict?
GOV. JOHN KASICH, (R) OHIO: Well, look, the verdict is the verdict the verdict, John. What I will say is that I think the people of Cleveland handled this, I mean, they should be so proud of themselves and we should look at Cleveland as a model. The mayor, former Senator Nina Turner, some of the minister -- Todd Davidson -- these are people who have said it is proper to protest and -- but at the same time, no violence, because violence in a community only destroys the community.
