Talk of the Town
(ST. PAUL, Minn.) — Former CNN journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal civil rights charges in connection with an incident in which anti-ICE protesters disrupted a service at a Minnesota church.
Lemon appeared in federal court in St. Paul before Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko, following his arrest in Los Angeles last month.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Homeland Security has abruptly reversed a decision to temporarily suspend the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck and Global Entry programs due to what the agency described as lapse in funding.
Less than a day after the suspension order was announced by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the TSA said that PreCheck at the nation’s airports will remain open.
“At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly,” a TSA spokesperson said in a statement to ABC.
The TSA added that courtesy escorts for members of Congress have been suspended and that those resources “can be directed towards keeping the flying public safe.”
For a few hours on Sunday morning, several airports, including Los Angeles International Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport, reported TSA precheck closures.
Sources familiar with the issue told ABC News that airports are now being advised by the TSA that they can keep their precheck lanes open if they have enough staffing.
Earlier Sunday, Noem released a statement saying that the precheck service was being temporarily suspended.
“TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts,” Noem said in a statement.
The two programs, which allow expedited clearance processes for pre-vetted domestic and international travelers, were expected to be suspended starting at 6 a.m. ET Sunday, according to a DHS official.
The initial plan called for DHS personnel assigned to these programs to be redirected to assist the broader traveling public, as travelers braced for longer lines to clear security.
The decision to suspend the programs came as an anticipated winter storm had already prompted the cancelation of more than 7,000 flights across the country. The decision and its quick reversal also comes just weeks before the spring break travel rush.
In addition, Noem also announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will also halt “all non-disaster related response to prioritize disasters,” underscoring the impact of the upcoming winter storm.
Before the decision to suspend the PreCheck program was reversed, a ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, immediately blasted the move.
“This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games,” Thompson said in a statement. “TSA PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines and ease the burden on DHS staff who are working without pay because of Trump’s abuse of the Department and killing of American citizens,” he said.
“Trump and Kristi are making your lives harder — and your travel less safe — all on purpose because they know you don’t trust them. They pulled these games with FEMA disaster response last week, now this madness. They would rather force Americans to miss their travel waiting in long lines at the airport than stop Trump’s secret police from shooting our neighbors.”
U.S. Travel, a non-profit organization that represents the nation’s travel industry also expressed its “disappointment” and criticized the move in a post on X writing, “Travelers should be prioritized, not leveraged. Travel is the gateway to the American economy and Americans should not have their mobility, security or travel experience diminished because elected leaders fail to resolve their differences.”
The temporary suspension was first reported by the Washington Post.
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(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The surgeon accused of gunning down his ex-wife and her husband in their Ohio home is due to appear at an arraignment on Friday.
Michael McKee is charged with premeditated aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her husband, dentist Spencer Tepe, at their Columbus home on Dec. 30, according to police.
McKee, who was taken into custody in Illinois, was booked into the James A. Karnes Corrections Center in Franklin County, Ohio, on Tuesday.
At his arraignment on Friday, the court is expected to hear arguments on whether McKee can be released on bond or must be held until trial. He has not entered a plea.
McKee and Monique Tepe were married in 2015 and divorced in 2017, according to divorce records obtained by ABC Columbus affiliate WSYX. They did not have any children together, according to the records.
Spencer and Monique Tepe married in December 2020, according to their obituary. The Tepes are survived by their two young children who were found safe inside their home after the Dec. 30 killings.
“We just want justice,” the Tepes’ brother-in-law, Rob Misleh, told ABC News.
“We want this person that took so much from, not just us as a family, but so many more people. And obviously the kids, especially. We want this person to pay for what they did,” he said.
ABC News’ Josh Margolin and Jason Volack contributed to this report.
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(NEW YORK) — Accused Gilgo Beach, New York, serial killer Rex Heuermann might change his plea to guilty and admit to the murders at his scheduled court appearance on Wednesday, sources familiar with the case told ABC News.
Heuermann, a New York City architect, was arrested in 2023 and has pleaded not guilty to killing seven women whose remains were found on New York’s Long Island.
His trial is set for September.
The first victim was Sandra Costilla, killed in 1993. Valerie Mack was killed in 2000 and Jessica Taylor was killed in 2003. Partial remains of Taylor and Mack were found near Gilgo Beach and in Manorville on Long Island, while Costilla was found in North Sea on Long Island.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes was killed in 2007 and found near Gilgo Beach. Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Lynn Costello were killed between 2009 and 2010 and also recovered near Gilgo Beach.
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