Category: National

(NEW YORK) — The Justice Department is seeking to unseal the exhibits shown to the federal grand juries in New York that indicted Jeffrey Epstein and his former companion Ghislaine Maxwell in addition to the transcripts of testimony, according to a court filing Friday.

Justice Department officials have conceded that much of what is in the transcripts is already publicly known, but the exhibits contain names that did not appear in the transcripts, the filing said.

The government is now trying to notify those individuals “to the extent their names appear in grand jury exhibits that were not publicly admitted at the Maxwell trial,” the filing said.

The Justice Department asked the court to give it until Aug. 14 to make the necessary notifications. The filing did not say how many individuals needed to be contacted.

The Trump administration has been seeking to release materials related to the investigation into Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who died by suicide in jail in 2019, following the blowback it received from MAGA supporters after it announced last month that no additional files would be released.

Attorneys for victims of Epstein and Maxwell have criticized the administration’s approach to transparency, saying in a letter to the court that it “reinforces the perception that the victims are, at best, an afterthought to the current administration.”

The victims say they are generally supportive of transparency, but that they want the chance to review the records and propose additional redactions.

Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking and other offenses in connection with Epstein.

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(NEW YORK) — Prosecutors in the state case against Luigi Mangione denied on Friday violating the medical privacy rights of the accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer, as his attorneys alleged, arguing they sought nothing more than “entirely unremarkable” information from his health insurer.

The defense accused prosecutors with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office of violating Mangione’s rights protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act when they subpoenaed Aetna for information and “partially reviewed confidential, private, protected documents.” The defense sought to suppress the information.

The district attorney’s office said in a filing on Friday that there was nothing “secretive or nefarious” about a subpoena that sought “entirely unremarkable” information like Mangione’s account number and time period of coverage.

In response, Aetna turned over more information than prosecutors requested, prosecutors said.

“Given these circumstances, defendant’s real complaint is not about the subpoena itself, but about Aetna’s response to the subpoena, which included documents that the People had not requested,” Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann said. “The People issued a valid subpoena to Aetna for an appropriately limited set of relevant information. Through no fault of the People, Aetna seemingly provided materials outside the scope of the subpoena. The People then properly identified the error and notified the Court and the defense and deleted our copy of said materials.”

The defense compounded Aetna’s mistake by sending prosecutors an email attaching the entire Aetna file that prosecutors had already deleted, Seidemann said.

“The defense nonetheless seeks to punish the People for the administrative mistakes of others, claiming that the People have perpetrated a ‘lie and a fraud’ against defendant — an inflammatory and dubious accusation without any basis,” Seidemann said.

Prosecutors urged the judge to grant no relief to Mangione and instead set a date for trial.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state charges alleging he murdered United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the Midtown hotel where the executive was about to attend an investor conference last year. Mangione has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges that could result in the death penalty.

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(NEW YORK) — A federal appeals court on Friday overturned U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s attempt to initiate contempt proceedings against the Trump administration related to the March deportation of hundreds of migrants to El Salvador, in what the panel’s majority described as an “extraordinary, ongoing confrontation between the Executive and Judicial Branches.”

In a 2-1 decision, Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao — both Trump appointees — vacated Judge Boasberg’s contempt-related order that sought to determine if members of the Trump administration deliberately defied a court order after the president invoked the Alien Enemies Act in March.

“The district court’s order raises troubling questions about judicial control over core executive functions like the conduct of foreign policy and the prosecution of criminal offenses. And it implicates an unsettled issue whether the judiciary may impose criminal contempt for violating injunctions entered without jurisdiction,” Judge Katsas wrote in a concurring opinion.

The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act — an 18th century wartime authority used to remove noncitizens with little-to-no due process — to deport two planeloads of alleged migrant gang members to the CECOT mega-prison in El Salvador by arguing that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a “hybrid criminal state” that is invading the United States.

Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order and ordered that the planes be turned around, but Justice Department attorneys said his oral instructions directing the flight to be returned were defective, and the deportations proceeded as planned.

Boasberg subsequently sought contempt proceedings against the government for deliberately defying his order.

Judge Katsas, in Friday’s decision, wrote that the “ambiguities” in Judge Boasberg’s original order blocking the removal of the migrants make it impossible to definitively say that the Trump administration acted in contempt.

“At the time of the alleged contempt, just hours after the TRO hearing and before any transcript of it was available, the district court’s minute order could reasonably have been read either way. Thus, the TRO cannot support a criminal-contempt conviction here,” he wrote.

In a searing dissent, Judge Cornelia Pillard defended Judge Boasberg’s attempt to initiate contempt proceedings to “vindicate the authority of the court” after the “apparently contumacious conduct.” 71045364″The rule of law depends on obedience to judicial orders,” she wrote. ” Yet, shortly after the district court granted plaintiffs’ emergency motion for a temporary restraining order, defendants appear to have disobeyed it. Our system of courts cannot long endure if disappointed litigants defy court orders with impunity rather than legally challenge them. That is why willful disobedience of a court order is punishable as criminal contempt.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated Friday’s ruling on social media, calling Judge Boasberg’s order “failed judicial overreach at its worst.”

“Our @TheJusticeDept attorneys just secured a MAJOR victory defending President Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport illegal alien terrorists. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed what we’ve argued for months: Judge Boasberg’s attempt to sanction the government for deporting criminal-alien terrorists was a “clear abuse of discretion,” Bondi wrote. “We will continue fighting and WINNING in court for President Trump’s agenda to keep America Safe!”

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(NEW YORK) — Record-breaking heat continues for parts of the desert Southwest into the weekend, with sweltering temperatures beginning to expand east into the Heartland.

Extreme heat warnings remain in effect for parts of the desert Southwest — including Palm Springs, California; Phoenix; and Tucson, Arizona.

High temperatures are expected to reach well into the 100s and up to 115 in spots.

Heat advisories are also in effect on Friday for other areas of the Four Corners region stretching into the Plains as the heat begins to shift east.

Places under these heat advisories include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Dallas, El Paso and Amarillo, Texas; Oklahoma City; Wichita, Kansas; Denver; and Sioux City, Iowa.

High temperatures between 100 and 110 are possible for these areas for on Friday.

Record-high temperatures are possible for Albuquerque through Saturday.

The heat is expected to be less extreme for the desert Southwest this weekend.

Later this weekend into next week, widespread heat will return to the Northeast and much of the country.

Later this weekend into next week, extreme heat will be possible for parts of northwest California, western Oregon and southwest Washington. Places from Yreka, California, up to Portland, Oregon, may see high temperatures push into the 100s and low temperatures only between 60 and 70 Sunday through Monday.

On Thursday, Phoenix saw a high temperature of 118 degrees. This not only was the hottest temperature recorded for the month of August, it is also tied for the ninth-hottest day all time since records began in 1895.

Fire weather danger persists
Red flag warnings are in places across five states in the West — Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico — for critical fire weather conditions that are keeping a strong foothold this week.

Single-digit humidity and wind gusts between 35 to 55 mph are possible anywhere in these areas, though it depends on exact location.

These conditions will be conducive to rapid fire spread with any new or existing wildfires in these areas.

Fire weather conditions are expected to remain critical through at least Saturday, but may persist into the beginning of next week.

A red flag warning is also in effect for Medford, Oregon, due to dry and breezy conditions.

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(LOS ANGELES) — The Canyon Fire, a rapidly spreading blaze in California, is impacting communities in the Los Angeles area as thousands have been placed under evacuation orders and warnings, according to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.

The local emergency proclamation issued by officials enables the county to “expedite access to critical resources and cut through bureaucratic red tape to enhance firefighting and recovery efforts,” according to a statement from Los Angeles County.

So far, the Canyon Fire burning in Ventura and Los Angeles counties has grown to just under 5,000 acres in a matter of hours and is 0% contained, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. On Thursday, the fire had burned 1,500 acres.

Five zones in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders, with 2,700 residents evacuated and 700 structures threatened by the flames, officials said. Six other zones in this county are currently under an evacuation warning, with 1,400 residents and 5,000 structures at risk, officials said.

Ventura County also has five zones under evacuation orders and two areas under evacuation warnings.

“The issuance of this emergency proclamation is a crucial step in our fight against the Canyon Fire,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “It allows us to unlock vital state and local resources more quickly and removes barriers that could slow down our first responders. Our priority is to protect lives, homes, and critical infrastructure, and this proclamation will help ensure that we have the tools and support necessary to meet the urgent needs of our communities.”

The emergency declaration grants authorities the flexibility to “coordinate across agencies, mobilize additional firefighting personnel and equipment, and streamline procurement processes,” officials said.

The blaze, which began on Thursday afternoon, is burning east with a “rapid rate of spread in light to medium fuels,” according to Cal Fire. Multiple strike teams of engines, hand crews and dozers have been ordered to “reinforce the initial response,” with 250 personnel and seven helicopters assigned to fight the flames, officials said.

As of Thursday evening, there have not been any residences damaged or reported injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Supervisor Barger urges all residents in affected areas to remain vigilant, follow evacuation orders, and stay informed through official channels as the situation evolves.

Officials said residents should visit the Los Angeles County Emergency Website for incoming updates and information.

This wildfire comes as the Gifford Fire — which is situated within the Los Padres National Forest in Solvang, California — has burned nearly 100,000 acres and is the largest blaze in the state this year, according to Cal Fire. This blaze, which began on Aug. 1, has destroyed 99,232 acres and is 15% contained, according to an update from officials on Thursday evening.

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(SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, Pa.) — A gunman in rural northeastern Pennsylvania shot and killed his neighbor then fired dozens of rounds at two responding troopers, injuring them, in what police described as an ambush.

An emergency medical technician who responded to the call of shots fired at the residence in Susquehanna County was also injured when he crashed his vehicle while trying to evade the gunfire, according to Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris.
“It’s been a very tragic and harrowing day for the community here in Susquehanna County and the Pennsylvania State Police,” Paris said during a press briefing Thursday evening.

 The incident occurred shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, when a man reported shots fired near his and his girlfriend’s home on State Route 171 in Thompson Township, Paris said.

The caller’s 57-year-old girlfriend — Laurie Wasko — had been shot and killed in front of their residence near her vehicle, Paris said.

Two state troopers were dispatched to the residence. Upon exiting their vehicle, “they were ambushed from a very good distance away,” Paris said.

Several dozen rounds were fired from a rifle “from a position of tactical superiority,” he said. One of the officers was shot twice in the chest-torso area, and the other was shot once in each arm, Paris said.

An EMS worker was also injured while “trying to help others at the scene,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said. When fired upon, the EMT took “evasive action” and crashed his vehicle, Paris said.

“He was able to make it out of his vehicle, and he actually hid for fear that the actor would continue firing upon him,” Paris said.

The suspected gunman — 61-year-old Carmine Faino — lived several hundred yards away on the opposite side of the street, Paris said.

Troopers and law enforcement from multiple counties attempted to set up a perimeter around Faino, who was “moving about,” Paris said. He shot down a drone, and at one point was sitting on a propane tank, which sparked concerns it was an “improvised explosive device,” Paris said.

“After a period of attempting to negotiate with him, he continued to be a threat, and he was shot by members of the special emergency response team,” Paris said.

The suspect was confirmed dead, and authorities say there is no threat to the public.

The motive remains under investigation and police are looking into the suspect’s background, Paris said. The shooting does appear to have been planned, Paris said, pointing to the suspect’s “position of tactical advantage.”

“I would say it doesn’t lend itself to a spur-of-the moment-type decision, at least once he made the decision to open fire,” Paris said.

The troopers, identified as Joseph Perechinsky and William Jenkins, were seriously hurt and are hospitalized in stable condition, police said.

Despite his injuries, Perechinsky was able to apply a tourniquet to his partner’s arms, Paris said.

“Despite both of their patrol cars being riddled with bullets, a third trooper was able to get in and evacuate them,” Paris said.

Paris said the two injured troopers are “very lucky to be alive.”

The EMT is in stable condition, police said.

Shapiro commended the first responders and called Perechinsky a “hero” for his actions.

“He quite likely almost saved the life of his partner,” Shapiro told reporters.

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(CALIFORNIA) — Fox News has moved to dismiss California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $787 million defamation lawsuit against the network and collect attorney fees, calling the suit a “political stunt” that Newsom filed “to advance his presidential ambitions.”

“The tone and content of Newsom’s complaint and his conduct underscore that the purpose of this lawsuit is to create a press spectacle and harass Fox News, not to remedy any legitimate reputational harm,” the 45-page filing from Fox states.

Newsom’s lawsuit stemmed from the channel’s coverage of a spat that occurred between Newsome and President Donald Trump during the L.A. wildfires. Trump claimed at the time that he had spoken to Newsom “a day ago” to tell Newsome he was doing a “bad job,” but Newsom replied on social media that “there was no call” — prompting Trump to give Fox News a screen shot showing the record of a call that had occurred days earlier.

Fox News host Jesse Watters, that night on his show, accused Newsom of lying, saying, “Why would Newsom lie and claim that Trump never called him?”

Newsom’s attorneys, in a letter to Fox News, said they would proceed with the suit unless Fox News issued a retraction and an on-air apology.

In their court filing, Fox News said that Watters did that on July 17 when he said on the air that Newsome “didn’t deceive anybody on purpose. So I’m sorry, he wasn’t lying. He was just confusing and unclear.”

As a result, Fox News says the case should be dismissed on multiple grounds — including on the merits — writing that what Watters said was “substantially true.”

“At a minimum, Watters’ query about why Newsom would ‘lie’ is an opinion based on disclosed facts that enjoys full First Amendment protection,” the filing states.

Newsom’s $787 million suit seeks the same amount as the 2023 settlement Fox reached with Dominion Voting Systems after the voting machine company accused Fox News of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories that Dominion rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden’s favor. In its filing in the Newsome case, Fox News called Newsome’s use of that figure a “headline-grabbing gimmick.”

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(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily halted any further construction of the immigrant detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Mary Williams granted a temporary restraining order after two days of testimony about the environmental impact of the site.

The state of Florida and President Donald Trump’s administration can continue to use the facility and house detainees there, but any further construction must be halted for 14 days.

While the hearing was set to resume on Tuesday, Judge Williams granted the temporary order to prevent possible harm to the sensitive Everglades ecosystem in the meantime.

Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida urged Judge Williams to block the construction site because the detention center was completed without conducting necessary impact studies. The area is home to multiple sensitive species — including the endangered Florida Panther — and is considered sacred to the Miccosukee tribe.

“We welcome the court’s decision to pause construction on this deeply concerning project. The detention facility threatens land that is not only environmentally sensitive but sacred to our people. While this order is temporary, it is an important step in asserting our rights and protecting our homeland. The Miccosukee Tribe will continue to stand for our culture, our sovereignty, and the Everglades,” Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Florida AG James Uthmeier’s office released a statement to ABC News in response to the judge’s ruling.

“Judge Williams’ order is wrong, and we will fight it. However, it does not shut down Alligator Alcatraz, which will continue to send illegal aliens back to where they came from,” the statement read.

The judge’s decision on Thursday comes after Wednesday’s hearing only saw five witnesses called to the stand by the environmental groups that filed the lawsuit, instead of the multiple state and federal officials who were set to testify.

At issue is the question of whether federal and state officials bypassed legally required environmental impact studies during construction of the facility — which plaintiffs say should block it from being used as a detention center.

Attorneys representing Florida officials have argued that the facility was initially funded by, constructed and managed by the state and is therefore exempt from the National Environmental Policy Act — the main law being used to challenge the facility’s compliance.

Alligator Alcatraz has so far operated in what immigration advocates have described as a jurisdictional gray zone — with the facility funded by the federal government but run by the state of Florida — that they allege allows officials to skirt some legal requirements.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has previously argued that the state of Florida is “implementing” the federal government’s immigration policy with the expectation that the state would be fully reimbursed for the costs of Alligator Alcatraz, but local and federal officials have so far been unable to tell the federal courts who is actually in charge of the facility.

The hearing — at which federal, state, and tribal officials are testifying — comes amid heightened scrutiny of the facility, which was once touted as a “one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.”

Located 50 miles west of Miami in the heart of the Florida Everglades, Alligator Alcatraz was quickly constructed over a matter of weeks, utilizing hundreds of tents, trailers, and other temporary facilities to potentially house more than 3,000 detainees.

The facility was built on the grounds of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a sparsely used piece of tarmac owned by Miami-Dade County.

Alligator Alcatraz also neighbors land leased to the Miccosukee Indian Tribe, including villages, a school, traditional hunting areas, and sacred sites. The Miccosukee Tribe joined the lawsuit last month, arguing that the facility threatens to damage nearby tribal villages.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Several top FBI officials were ousted from their jobs this week, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News, including the former acting director of the bureau who previously resisted efforts to compile a list of agents who worked on the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Sources tell ABC News that among those informed of their terminations are former acting FBI director Brian Driscoll, assistant director in charge of the Washington, D.C. Field office Steven Jensen, and agents Walter Giardina and Christopher Meyer.

It does not appear that any were informed of the rationale behind their terminations, the sources said.

The firings have alarmed many rank-and-file agents due to concerns over whether the moves were politically motivated, said the sources. Giardina and Meyer, for instance, previously worked on investigations involving President Donald Trump.

Driscoll, who had served for nearly 20 years in the bureau, including a variety of leadership positions, was elevated briefly to the role of acting director in the opening days of Trump’s presidency.

He received praise from some agents and law enforcement groups over his brief standoff with Emil Bove, Trump’s former defense attorney who pushed Trump’s agenda at the Justice Department prior to the confirmation of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Driscoll had resisted an order from Bove to compile a list of all agents who aided the Justice Department’s investigation into Jan. 6, which Bove later described in a memo as an act of “insubordination.”

After the Senate confirmed Kash Patel as FBI director, Driscoll was assigned to lead the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group.

In his parting email sent Thursday to staffers, which was obtained by ABC News, Driscoll said he was informed of his termination Wednesday night and was given no reason for the move.

“I understand that you may have a lot of questions regarding why, for which I currently have no answers,” Driscoll wrote, according to the email. “No cause has been articulated at this time. Please know that it has been the honor of my life to serve alongside each of you.”

Sources said that Jensen’s firing similarly came as a surprise to senior leadership at the U.S. attorney’s D.C. field office, where Jensen was set to appear Thursday at a press conference on the unsealing of a hate crimes indictment charging the suspect in the Capitol Jewish Museum shooting.

Jensen was instead replaced at the press event by the chief of the Washington field office’s criminal division.

Asked by ABC News about the reason behind Jensen’s dismissal, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro declined to answer.

“I’m not going to talk about politics today. I’m talking about crime, talking about hate crimes,” Pirro said.

Officials with the FBI and Justice Department also declined to comment on the firings.

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(SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, Pa.) — Two state troopers were shot while responding to a call in northeastern Pennsylvania on Thursday, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.

They were taken to hospitals in unknown conditions after the shooting on Route 171 in Susquehanna County, police said.

“The scene remains very active and information on the suspect will be released at a later time,” police said in a statement.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he planned to head to the scene and that he and his wife “are praying for them.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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