Jan. 6 rioter taken into custody after threatening posts targeting Justice Barrett, AG Garland
(WASHINGTON) — A Nevada man awaiting trial for charges stemming from his alleged participation in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was taken into custody this week for a series of threatening statements prosecutors say he made targeting public officials, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
According to court records obtained by ABC News, prosecutors moved to revoke Bradley Nelson’s bail following a series of statements and social media posts as recent as last month — that included an image posted Garland with crosshairs drawn on his head. Prosecutors moved to revoke his bail two days after his post about Garland.
Another post that concerned prosecutors targeted Barrett and followed the Supreme Court’s decision in Fischer v. United States involving an obstruction statute leveled against dozens of Jan. 6 rioters, including Nelson himself. Justice Barrett notably dissented from a majority opinion that significantly narrowed the statute’s use against participants in the Capitol attack.
“I pray to God with all my [expletive] heart that somebody cuts your [expletive] throat from ear to ear you worthless piece of [expletive],” Nelson allegedly posted of Barrett roughly an hour after the court’s ruling was made public.
Other posts flagged by prosecutors included an image posted by Nelson in August of 2023 of Judge Scott McAfee, the Georgia judge overseeing Trump’s election interference case brought by the Fulton County District Attorney, with crosshairs over his head.
Nelson also allegedly posted an image of New York Attorney General Letitia James with crosshairs that included the comment he would, “give every [expletive] thing I have to watch that [expletive]’s head explode, or at least the back of her head blowout,” the filing says.
A federal judge in Maryland ordered Nelson detained on Tuesday based on the statements, and also raised concerns about specific recent comments he made about FBI agents involved in his Jan. 6 case that were escalating in recent weeks.
According to the order, Nelson never disputed making any of the specific statements or posts, but instead argued that none amounted to threats, which the judge said he didn’t find convincing.
Whether Nelson continues to remain in custody, however, will be up to the D.C. district judge overseeing his case, Judge John Bates.
Nelson was first arrested in March of 2023 on several charges including entering and remaining on restricted grounds and violent and disorderly conduct in the Capitol.
Prosecutors said Nelson posted extensive sentiments online in advance of the riot about his desire for violence against public officials including Sen. Mitch McConnell and former Attorney General William Barr, though he was not accused of assaulting police during the riot itself.
Nelson has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is set to go to trial in December.
(WASHINGTON) — In a new comments, Gwen Walz, the wife of Democratic vice presidential contender Tim Walz, for the first time discussed what she called the “incredibly personal and difficult experience” of using fertility treatments to have children, how she says the couple barely felt comfortable telling anyone at the time, and the specifics of her treatment, which was intrauterine insemination, or IUI — not IVF, as had been broadly assumed.
Her husband has often talked on the campaign trail about their struggle in general terms, connecting their experience to the bans on in vitro fertilization (IVF) put in place this past spring in Alabama and attacking Republicans over reproductive rights restrictions.
“Like millions of families across the country, for years, Tim and I tried to start a family through fertility treatments. We followed the journey that is infertility — the anxiety, the agony, and the desperation that can eat away at your soul,” Gwen Walz said in comments to Glamour and later confirmed to ABC News.
“Knowing that pain, I cannot fathom the cruelty of politicians who want to take away the freedom for couples to access the care they need. After seeing the extreme attacks on reproductive health care across the country — particularly, the efforts in Alabama that jeopardized access to fertility treatments — Tim and I agreed that it was time to formally speak out about our experience,” she said.
Her husband has frequently talked about their fertility journey generally, referring to IVF and treatments “like it,” but not using the term IUI — likely known only to a narrower audience.
While recently speaking at a rally in Detroit, Tim Walz said that it would be “dangerous” to ban “things like IVF as well as IVF,” saying “this is very personal for my family. When my wife and I decided to have children, we went through two years of fertility treatment.”
And in an interview earlier this month, grouping GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance in with Republicans who support restrictions on IVF, Walz said that if it were “up to him, I wouldn’t have a family because of IVF and the things that we need to do.”
“My kids were born through that direct, you know, that way,” Walz said.
But IUI is different from IVF, and has not come under the same levels of attack because it does not involve freezing, transferring or discarding embryos.
It’s a minor distinction in some respects — fertility advocates say the Walz family’s experience certainly gives them credibility to talk about how important access to fertility treatment is, regardless of using IVF or the lesser-known IUI — but it would’ve mattered in Alabama, for example, because the Walz family would not have lost access to their care after the state’s recent Supreme Court decision.
The decision, which put IVF into the spotlight on a national scale, determined frozen embryos qualify legally as children. It forced half of the state’s fertility clinics to put IVF treatments on hold for weeks because they didn’t want to be held liable for discarding unused embryos, a normal part of the process.
The detail that Gwen Walz did not use IVF, but rather a different treatment, quickly led to an attack from Vance, who said Tim Walz “lied” and should know the difference, having been involved in the process.
“Like, you know the difference, right? Anybody who’s had a friend or themselves gone through fertility treatments, you know the difference. So, why lie about it? I just don’t understand it,” Vance said.
In response, the Harris campaign called Vance’s attack “just another example of how cruel and out of touch Donald Trump and JD Vance are when it comes to women’s healthcare.”
“Infertility is a deeply personal journey, but the Governor and Mrs. Walz came forward to share their story because they know that MAGA attacks on reproductive rights are putting all fertility treatments at risk,” said campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg in a statement.
Ehrenberg said Tim Walz “talks how normal people talk” and “was using commonly understood shorthand for fertility treatments.”
Gwen Walz, speaking at a Rural Council event at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, did not seem to mind her husband’s general descriptions of their treatment journey. She remarked that “they’re fact-checking us on every single little tiny thing,” and joked that she wouldn’t attempt to give the exact number of students she graduated with in her small high school class in rural southwestern Minnesota.
In the interview about her fertility treatment, she said she hadn’t wanted to be outspoken about the details of her journey until recently, because of how painful it was. Back in the early 2000s, during the process, she said she only told a neighbor who was a nurse and could help her with her regularly-needed shots.
“I’d rush home from school and she would give me the shots to ensure we stayed on track. Many of our closest family and friends were surprised when we shared these experiences so many years later,” she said.
The details of Walz’ fertility journey led some organizations to clarify their past descriptions, including the IVF advocacy group RESOLVE.
In a statement, the group said it “regrets” if the organization contributed to any confusion about the type of fertility treatments used by Walz and his wife but said they continue to welcome Walz’s advocacy and support.
“We support all paths to parenthood and have welcomed Gov. Walz’s support of our community and our advocacy issues, since our federal Advocacy Day in 2017 during his tenure in Congress,” Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE, said in a statement.
“The ongoing conversation around the importance of IVF access and other fertility treatments has made millions of would-be parents across the country feel seen. We need our elected representatives at the state and federal level, and government officials to do everything in their power to make it easier, not harder, for people to build their families,” Collura said.
(WASHINGTON) — Former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., a once-rising star in the GOP who fell out with her party over her criticism of Donald Trump, slammed the former president as an “unrecoverable catastrophe” in her call for other Republicans to vote against him this year.
“We see it on a daily basis, somebody who was willing to use violence in order to attempt to seize power, to stay in power, someone who represents unrecoverable catastrophe, frankly, in my view, and we have to do everything possible to ensure that he’s not reelected,” Cheney told “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
“You have many Republicans out there who are saying, ‘Well, you know, we’re not going to vote for him, but we will write someone else in.’ And I think that this time around, that’s not enough, that it’s important to actually cast a vote for Vice President Harris,” Cheney added.
Cheney made her endorsement of Harris official this week, also announcing her father, former Vice President and liberal antagonist Dick Cheney, would follow suit.
The announcements from the Cheneys marked the highest profile endorsements from Republicans for Harris yet as the vice president looks to peel off disgruntled GOP voters frustrated with Trump’s hardline and personal brand of politics.
For his part, Trump appeared unconcerned with the endorsements, calling the former vice president “an irrelevant RINO, along with his daughter,” on his Truth Social platform. “RINO” stands for “Republican in name only.”
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung responded in kind when asked about the endorsements, replying, “who the f— is Liz Cheney?”
Liz Cheney cited both Harris’ policy stances this year — some of which have moved to the center since her first run in 2019 — and a speech Harris gave at the Democratic convention this summer which leaned heavily on themes of patriotism.
“I have never viewed this as a policy election, but I think that it’s very important point. If you look at Vice President Harris’s speech, for example, at the Democratic Convention, it is a speech that Ronald Reagan could have given. It’s a speech that George Bush could have given. It’s very much an embrace and an understanding of the exceptional nature of this great nation,” she said.
“I think that she has changed in a number of very important ways on issues that matter. And I would encourage independents to look at where she is on these policy issues today. I would encourage independents to compare where she is today with where Donald Trump is on these issues,” she added. “And on top of all of that, the Republicans have nominated somebody who you know is depraved.”
Cheney seemed to recognize the stark departure from carrying on a career as a conservative warrior in the House to now endorsing a Democrat for president, suggesting that the GOP has shifted its values while she has remained consistent.
When pressed by Karl if she’s still a Republican, Cheney responded, “I’m a conservative.”
“I am certainly not a Trump Republican. I am a conservative. I think that what’s happened to the Republican party today is indefensible, and I hope to be able to rebuild, as I said, after this cycle,” Cheney said.
“But I also think it’s really important for us as we’re thinking about rebuilding, as we’re thinking about the future the country, to recognize that at the end of the day, the vast majority of people in this country want to know fundamentally that their elected officials are going to defend the peaceful transfer of power,” she said. “And as someone who’s been a lifelong Republican, it’s heartbreaking to me to see what has happened to so many of the elected officials in my party, and I know we can do better.”
(CHICAGO) —Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled her economic platform, her first major policy rollout since becoming the Democratic nominee.
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday held a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he said he’s “entitled” to insult his Democratic opponent because he doesn’t respect her and attacked her record on the economy.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Bulletproof glass shields Trump at North Carolina rally
Former President Donald Trump spoke behind bulletproof glass at his rally in North Carolina on Wednesday as new security measures are being put in place after the assassination attempt against the former president.
Trump was surrounded by the glass barriers as he addressed supporters in Asheboro. The event marked his first outdoor rally since the shooting on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, during which Trump and two others were injured and one person was killed.
-ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler
RFK Jr. planning to leave 2024 race: Sources
Robert Kennedy Jr. is planning to drop out of the race by the end of this week, sources familiar with the decision tell ABC News.
Sources say that Kennedy is leaning toward endorsing former President Donald Trump, though the sources cautioned the decision is not yet finalized and could still change. One source added that the hope is, in part, to finalize things quickly in order to try to blunt momentum from the DNC.
Kennedy is set to address the nation on Friday, his campaign said earlier Wednesday.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky, Will McDuffie, Olivia Rubin, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
RFK Jr. to address nation Friday about ‘path forward’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will “address the nation” live Friday to discuss his “path forward,” his press secretary posted on X Wednesday.
The campaign did not immediately offer any more specifics.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
Harris headed to Milwaukee rally tonight
Democratic candidate for president, Vice President Kamala Harris, is set to speak at a rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday, according to her campaign.
Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ vice presidential running mate, will be in attendance, the campaign confirmed. Also expected at the event are Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, members of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise, including Khris Middleton and President Peter Feigin, and labor leaders.
Harris and Waltz appeared at the DNC in Chicago on Monday night, where Harris surprised delegates by taking the stage early in the night for a brief speech.
Tuesday’s rally, which is being held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, is aimed at energizing Wisconsin voters, the campaign said.
Iran denies involvement in attempts to hack Trump, Biden campaigns
Iran is denying reports it was involved in attempts to hack the presidential campaigns of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, the latter of which while he was still in the race.
In a statement, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, said that reports of attempted hacking, which came from Google and Microsoft, are “unsubstantiated.”
“Such allegations are unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing. As we have previously announced, the Islamic Republic of Iran harbors neither the intention nor the motive to interfere with the U.S. presidential election,” the statement read. “Should the U.S. government genuinely believe in the validity of its claims, it should furnish us with the pertinent evidence—if any—to which we will respond accordingly.”
-ABC News’ Pierre Thomas
7:32 AM EDT Bernie Sanders to speak at DNC on ‘lowering health care costs’
Lowering health care costs will be a central theme at the Democratic National Convention this week, campaign and convention officials said on Monday, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), confirmed as one notable program speaker set to focus upon the issue — specifically on “lowering Rx drug prices” and “taking on Big Pharma.”
Speakers throughout the week like Sanders, California Rep. Robert Garcia, Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will highlight the support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, convention officials shared first with ABC News.
In a Friday speech setting out a string of economic proposals, Harris pledged to “lower the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for everyone.” She also said she’d “demand transparency from the middlemen who operate between Big Pharma and the insurance companies, who use opaque practices to raise your drug prices and profit off your need for medicine.”
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and more to host DNC
Actors Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and commentator Ana Navarro will serve as hosts at the Democratic National Convention this week, convention officials confirmed to ABC News.
Each will host one night of the four-day convention, starting the programming with opening remarks and reappearing onstage throughout the night.
Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday and Kaling on Wednesday. Washington will host on Thursday, the night Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepts her nomination.
CNN first reported this news.
Harris and Walz debut new campaign buses and kick off tour ahead of DNC
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz debuted their new campaign buses Sunday and kicked off a bus tour of southwestern Pennsylvania ahead of this week’s Democratic National Convention.
Upon their arrival on Air Force Two, a few hundred supporters greeted Harris, Walz and their spouses at a hangar where the new were buses parked.
Supporters told ABC News they were thrilled by Harris’ candidacy, with one saying she had not felt this excited about politics in years. Some said they had never volunteered for a campaign before signing up to work on Harris’.
“I was excited about Biden, but I am a million times more excited about Kamala,” Nicole Molinaro, a Pittsburgh-area mom, said. “I think that we need her leadership. We need her intelligence. We need her progressive, you know, stance. I think we need her experience. We need everything about Kamala.”
Another supporter, Edward Freel, said he was unsure about Harris at first, “but then, as I started listening better and following her, [I thought] this woman is going to be good for this country.”
Trump campaign releases counterprogramming schedule for DNC week
During the week of the DNC, Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance will be out on the campaign trail, holding events in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
Trump allies — including Sens. Ron Johnson and Rick Scott, and Rep. Byron Donalds — will travel to Chicago to host press conferences every day of the convention. The Trump team will also give a press conference on Thursday ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the Democratic party’s nomination.
“As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again,” Trump Campaign Senior Advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Michelle Obama to speak at DNC this week
Former first lady Michelle Obama will speak at the DNC in Chicago this week, ABC News has confirmed with her office.
Her appearance, first reported by Essence Magazine, will be among a lineup of prominent Democratic leaders who are rallying in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Former President Barack Obama is also scheduled to speak at the DNC.
According to a source familiar with the planning, Michelle Obama will speak on Tuesday — the same day as the former president.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
Former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will help Trump prepare for presidential debate
Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will assist Trump in preparing for his first debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“[Trump] does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage,” Trump campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement to ABC News, confirming a development first reported by The New York Times.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and a one-time Democratic presidential candidate during the 2020 election, gained brief momentum during her presidential run after challenging Harris on the debate stage on topics like criminal prosecutions.
Since leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard has been gaining traction among Trump supporters, and more recently she has appeared on Fox and other conservative news outlets attacking Harris.
– ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh, and Lalee Ibssa
Election 2024 updates: ABC News Harris-Trump debate to be held in Philadelphia
The first debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump will be held by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
The Sept. 10 debate will be moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.
It will air live at 9:00 p.m. ET on the network and on its 24/7 streaming network ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.