The offices of the Manhattan District Attorney and New York Attorney General have obtained indictments against the Trump Organization and its longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.
The indictments against the organization and Weisselberg, handed up by a New York grand jury, are expected to be unsealed in court Thursday afternoon in Manhattan, a Trump representative told NBC.
Weisselberg is expected to surrender Thursday morning, The Washington Post reported earlier, citing sources. The Post said he is expected to be arraigned in front of a state judge later that day. The Trump Organization is also expected to be arraigned.
Former President Donald Trump is not expected to be charged this week, the Post’s sources said, but the indictments could bring possible fines and legal problems to his company. However, prosecutors hope Weisselberg will exchange testimony against Trump for reducing his own risk, another source told the Post.
A representative for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. declined CNBC’s request for comment. Trump Organization lawyer Ronald Fischetti had no immediate comment. Weisselberg’s lawyer, Mary Mulligan, declined to comment.
The investigation of the Trump Organization originally was focused on how the New York company accounted for a hush-money payment Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen paid to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election.
But since then, the probe has expanded into allegations by Cohen that the Trump Organization misstated the value of various real estate assets to benefit from lower tax obligations or to receive more favorable terms on loans and insurance related to those properties.
In recent months, the Manhattan DA’s office has also looked at how various fringe benefits received by Trump Organization executives were accounted for by the company and whether executives paid taxes on those benefits.
Fischetti in an email to CNBC last week said, “In my more than 50 years of practice, never before have I seen the District Attorney’s Office target a company over employee compensation or fringe benefits.”
“The IRS would not, and has not, brought a case like this,” Fischetti said.
“Even the financial institutions responsible for causing the 2008 financial crises, the worst financial crisis since the great depression, were not prosecuted.”
Cohen, who pleaded guilty in 2018 to multiple federal crimes, has repeatedly met with investigators from the Manhattan DA’s office to assist them with their probe of the Trump Organization.
Search and rescue teams work atop the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo building Wednesday in Surfside, Fla., where scores of people remain missing after it partially collapsed on Thursday.
Lynne Sladky/AP
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Search and rescue teams work atop the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo building Wednesday in Surfside, Fla., where scores of people remain missing after it partially collapsed on Thursday.
Lynne Sladky/AP
In the face of lawsuits alleging the condo board’s negligence in the catastrophic collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Fla., the condominium association has hired a crisis communications firm.
Levick, a PR firm based in Washington, D.C., that promises to “fix the impossible,” confirmed to NPR that it has been retained by the condo group. Levick’s director Maxwell Marcucci told NPR that his firm is assisting the board with a deluge of media inquiries.
Marcucci said that the board comprises volunteers who were also residents — one of whom, reports Business Insider, is among the missing.
“They’re not experts in the field,” Marucci said. “At no time were they warned of a risk of imminent collapse.”
In a statement emailed to NPR, Levick spokesperson Maria Stagliano said the firm would not comment on pending litigation.
A massive search and rescue effort is underway at the site of Thursday’s collapse, with the 18 people confirmed dead and 145 unaccounted for.
The board contended with the needed repairs for several years
Surviving residents of the condo have already filed three lawsuits against the association, alleging that it should have known about the building’s structural risks and should have acted sooner to fix those problems.
Engineers began raising alarm bells over the structural integrity of Champlain Towers South in a 2018 report. But in repeated calls pressuring the condo company to make changes to the property, town officials appeared to have pursued requirements that addressed largely superficial repairs.
Meanwhile, there was infighting among condo board members over the expense of building rehabilitation. In a letter obtained by NPR, and first published by The Wall Street Journal, Jean Wodnicki, the president of the board of directors, informed members in a memo before a meeting in April that the extent of the repair work needed had grown since the 2018 report.
She warned that the rehabilitation costs, including those addressing “accelerating” concrete deterioration and “extensive roof repairs had jumped from about $9 million to $15 million.
“For those who believe we are assessing too much, this shows that we are actually under-assessing a bit according to estimates,” Wodnicki wrote. “I acknowledge that we are talking about a huge project and a very large assessment. Your Board of Directors is working very hard to bring this project to fruition.”
BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke Thursday about China’s firm resolve to stand up to foreign pressure while laying out national aspirations at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of China’s ruling Communist Party.
China will not accept “sanctimonious preaching from those who feel they have the right to lecture us,” Xi said, according to an official translation of his Mandarin-language remarks. He did not name a specific country, amid growing tensions with the U.S.
Xi said China would never allow any foreign force to bully it, and anyone attempting to do so would “find themselves on a collision course with a great wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion people.”
“A century ago China was declining and withering away in the eyes of the world,” he said. “Today, the image it presents to the world is one of a thriving nation, that is advancing with unstoppable momentum toward rejuvenation.”
Looking ahead, Xi talked of cooperating with “peace-loving countries,” building up the party and working for “national rejuvenation.” He also spoke generally of “strategic steps” toward the “second centenary goal.”
China’s two centenary goals are to “build a moderately prosperous society in all respects” by 2021 and “build a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious” by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
Xi added that China needed to “promote high quality development” and build up national strength in science and technology.
He emphasized China’s need to modernize its military and train personnel to the level of “world-class standards” in order to ensure national security.
Xi’s speech lasted just over an hour, focusing mostly on a historical narrative of the successful role of the Communist Party in the country’s history since the 19th century. He did not mention controversial events such as the Cultural Revolution.
The length of Xi’s speech contrasted with his brief remarks — less than 10 minutes — at the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in 2019. The celebration at that time featured extravagant floats from different parts of the country and a military parade, which authorities said earlier would not be the case at the party’s centenary.
On Thursday, Xi wore a traditional grey “Mao” suit, while nearly all leaders and dignitaries who joined him at the gate of the Forbidden City overlooking Tiananmen Square wore western suits and ties. State media said more than 70,000 people attended the celebration.
Most attendees did not appear to wear face masks or practice social distancing at the event, which had strict requirements such as vaccination for attending.
“The party and the Chinese people will keep moving confidently forward in broad strides along the path that we have chosen for ourselves,” Xi said. “We will make sure the destiny of China’s development and progress remains firmly in our own hands.”
“We must uphold the firm leadership of the party. China’s success hinges on the party,” Xi said, adding that “the party was chosen by history and the people.”
On the special administrative region of Hong Kong, Xi said China would “ensure social stability.” He spoke again of advancing toward “peaceful national reunification” with Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province.
Xi officially became president in 2013 and also holds the highest political position of general secretary of the party’s central committee. He abolished term limits in 2018, effectively allowing him to remain president for life.
Becoming a member of the party is encouraged from an early age, although the process of joining is highly selective. Many senior positions, even in private businesses, often require party membership.
The official narrative recognizes July 1, 1921, as when the party was founded, although the exact date may have been slightly different. The gathering of delegates, including future leader Mao Zedong, came almost 30 years before the Chinese Communist Party fought Japan, then the Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang) party, to become the ruling party of the People’s Republic of China.
Martha MacCallum has the details on the passing of the former Defense Secretary on ‘The Story’
Donald Rumsfeld’s death at age 88 on Wednesday prompted an array of reactions from politicians and other public figures who remarked on the life of the former secretary of defense.
Rumsfeld’s family announced his passing, noting that he had died “surrounded by family in his beloved Taos, New Mexico.” A two-time defense secretary, Rumsfeld is best known for his prominent role in former President George W. Bush’s administration, leading Pentagon policy during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bush was among the first public figures to react to Rumsfeld’s death, praising his former colleague’s “steady service as a wartime secretary of defense — a duty he carried out with strength, skill, and honor.”
Condoleezza Rice, who served as secretary of state in the Bush administration, remembered Rumsfeld as a “remarkable and committed public servant.”
“He was also a good friend and a steady presence throughout the many trials of the post-9/11 world. I will miss him as a colleague and as a friend. Joyce and the family will be in my thoughts and prayers,” she said.
Rumsfeld is the only person in U.S. history to twice serve as the Pentagon’s highest official. He held roles under four presidential administrations and once staged his own unsuccessful bid for the presidency.
As defense secretary under President Bush, Rumsfeld faced intense scrutiny over his handling of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts following the Sept. 11, 2011 terrorist attacks.
“I am saddened to hear of Donald Rumsfeld’s passing. He dedicated his life to public service answering the call time and time again,” said John Bolton, another top Bush administration official who worked closely with Rumsfeld. “It was an honor to work with him in the Bush 43 Administration.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also expressed condolences.
“Elaine and I were saddened today by the passing of an American patriot who served his country honorably and tirelessly,” McConnell said. “Donald Rumsfeld’s decades of service began and ended among the brave men and women working to keep America safe.
“His time on active duty in the Navy began a distinguished career that elevated his talents to the highest levels of policymaking and public leadership. At every step of the way, Donald Rumsfeld led with conviction and a cutting intellect,” McConnell added.
Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., who served as a Pentagon aide under Rumsfeld, said the country would “never forget its Secretary of Defense who ran to the burning Pentagon on September 11th to help others in need.”
“Donald Rumsfeld was a patriot who served his country in uniform, in the halls of Congress, as U.S. Ambassador to NATO, White House Chief of Staff, and as Secretary of Defense under two administrations,” Waltz said. “I take great pride in having worked as a policy advisor for Afghanistan in the Pentagon under his leadership. He was dedicated to ensuring our military was ready in times of peace and keeping our country safe in times of war. Rest in Peace.”
Rumsfeld’s family noted his lifelong public service in its statement.
“History may remember him for his extraordinary accomplishments over six decades of public service, but for those who knew him best and whose lives were forever changed as a result, we will remember his unwavering love for his wife Joyce, his family and friends, and the integrity he brought to a life dedicated to country,” Rumsfeld’s family said.
FIRST, THERE’S THIS BOMBSHELL— “Trump Organization and CFO Allen Weisselberg Expected to Be Charged Thursday,” by WSJ’s Corinne Ramey: “The Manhattan district attorney’s office is expected to charge the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer with tax-related crimes on Thursday, people familiar with the matter said, which would mark the first criminal charges against the former president’s company since prosecutors began investigating it three years ago.
“Mr. Trump himself isn’t expected to be charged, his lawyer said. [ALLEN] WEISSELBERG has rejected prosecutors’ attempts at gaining his cooperation, according to people familiar with the matter. The defendants are expected to appear in court on Thursday afternoon, the people said. The Trump Organization and Mr. Weisselberg are expected to face charges related to allegedly evading taxes on fringe benefits, the people said. … If prosecutors could show the Trump Organization and its executives systematically avoided paying taxes, they could file more serious charges alleging a scheme, lawyers said.” Brookings legal experts, including former House impeachment lawyer NORM EISEN, just released a new report about the ex-president’s liability on these issues.
MEANWHILE … C-SPAN released its fourth historians survey of presidential leadership and found that Trump ranked fourth to last in terms of best national leaders. He leads presidents FRANKLIN PIERCE, JAMES BUCHANAN and ANDREW JOHNSON, who was also impeached. (Cue the “low-ratings C-SPAN” statement from Trump.)
Topping the list is ABRAHAM LINCOLN. BARACK OBAMA gets 10th place and GEORGE W. BUSH gets 29th. More from Maeve Sheehey
SELECT COMMITTEE VOTE LOOMS LARGE OVER TRUMP’S GOP SKEPTICS — House Republicans still angry with Trump for his behavior on Jan. 6 face a difficult vote around 2:30 p.m.: whether to support Speaker NANCY PELOSI’s move to name a select committee to probe the Capitol siege.
In 2014, seven Democrats joined Republicans to back the creation of the House GOP’s Benghazi committee, as our colleague Nicholas Wu notes.
Jan. 6 was an attack on American soil, yet it appears likely that fewer Republicans will cross party lines to support a select committee. At least two of the House Republicans who backed Trump’s second impeachment — JOHN KATKO (R-N.Y.) and ANTHONY GONZALEZ (R-Ohio) — say they won’t back this idea because panel members won’t have even representation.
Never mind that the House GOP’s last select committee similarly was weighted toward the majority.
This is not a good omen for the panel. If anything, it’s a sign that this is going to get extremely messy, extremely fast — which is just what Republicans want. The less credibility the select committee has, the more they can dismiss its findings as partisan, like they did with Trump’s first impeachment.
We’re not sure if you caught it Tuesday, but Pelosi suggested she would give herself veto authority over any members House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY selects to sit on the committee. This comes out of a fear from Democrats that they’ll name people like Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) — or that they’ll name some of the more than 100 House Republicans who objected to the electoral college.
But Pelosi telling the minority who they can and cannot pick — if that’s how this turns out — would not be a good look for the kickoff of this committee.
WATCH — Some Republicans aren’t happy about Pelosi’s new Jan. 6 committee: On this episode of The Breakdown, Ryan discusses the purpose and mission of the select committee, who we can expect to see on the committee and how Republicans are responding. Ryan also breaks down the political implications that this committee could impose on Republicans, as this investigation may focus on members of their own party, including Trump.
Good Wednesday afternoon.
HEADS UP — Reuters’ @steveholland1: “Final ring of fencing around Lafayette Square – gone.” With pic
HOORAY BEER! — “The White House Is Marking COVID ‘Independence Day’ With Free Beer And Bill Pullman,” by NPR’s Tamara Keith: “America hasn’t quite reached President Biden’s July 4th vaccination goal, but the White House isn’t letting that get in the way of a good party. Starting Saturday, Biden and other administration officials will fan out around the country to celebrate that hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 are way down and life is getting back to normal.
“And even though not quite 70% of American adults got their first shot by the Independence Day milestone, Budweiser is officially unlocking its free beer giveaway, one of many incentives dangled to try to lure people to roll up their sleeves ahead of July 4. That news was announced by actor BILL PULLMAN, who reprised the epic presidential speech of in the 1996 blockbuster ‘Independence Day,’ a movie about an alien invasion.” The 2:12 ad
BUT THE GOP IS GOING ON OFFENSE ON RISING PRICES — The NRCC is up with new ads against 11 vulnerable Democrats, blaming the party for the rising cost of everything from burgers to gas. Spox MICHAEL MCADAMS tweets the reel.
STOCKPILE STATUS — “America’s pandemic stockpile struggles to ramp up,” by Erin Banco: “Supplies of critical medical products in the Strategic National Stockpile are still well below federal targets more than 18 months after the coronavirus first emerged in the United States, according to internal data obtained by POLITICO.”
FED FILES — “Fed Unity Cracks as Inflation Rises and Officials Debate Future,”by NYT’s Jeanna Smialek and Jim Tankersley: “Federal Reserve officials spoke with one voice throughout the pandemic downturn, promising that monetary policy would be set to full-stimulus mode until the crisis was well and truly behind America. Suddenly, they are less in sync.
“Central bankers are increasingly divided over how to think about and respond to emerging risks after months of rising asset values and faster-than-expected price increases. While their political counterparts in the White House have been more unified in maintaining that the recent jump in price gains will fade as the economy gets past a reopening burst, Washington as a whole is wrestling with how to approach policy at a moment of intense uncertainty.”
“In a letter to staff on Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by The Post, [LAURA] WERTHEIMER did not acknowledge the Integrity Committee’s report or its allegations. She wrote that ‘President Biden should have the opportunity to fill both the FHFA Director and IG positions with his own nominees’ and that she ‘had no intention of staying for seven years.’ Wertheimer will leave her post at the end of July.”
POLICY CORNER — “Virtual care becomes a common cause in a divided Congress,” by Ben Leonard: “A set of telemedicine policies the Trump administration adopted during lockdowns is emerging as an unexpected bipartisan rallying point as lawmakers begin to weigh life after Covid-19. The coverage policies are due to lapse once the health emergency ends, which could limit telehealth payments to rural providers and doctors with existing relationships with patients.
“Lawmakers are lining up to decide what Medicare will pay for after the pandemic is over, with sponsors of a leading Senate plan confident they have the votes to include it in a must-pass piece of legislation this year. Telehealth lobbyists so far have failed to get extensions into Covid relief packages, in part due to concern over how they could drive up health spending and potentially invite fraud.”
ALL THE WAY TO THE BANKS — “Joining Trump at border, GOP congressman eyes path to power,” by AP’s Brian Slodysko: “Whatever that future may hold, the 41-year-old [Rep. JIM] BANKS is working aggressively to play a prominent role in it. A politician with mountaintop ambition, he is rising in the ranks of the House Republicans — and in the estimation of the mercurial Trump.
“Banks’ [recent] overnight trip to Trump’s Bedminster resort punctuated a political journey from a county council seat in small-town northeast Indiana to prominence in Congress in little more than a decade. It also served as a testament to the conversion Banks underwent from Trump critic to unapologetic supporter. … On Wednesday, Banks was invited to join Trump for a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, where the former president was expected to rail against illegal immigration.”
BENDING BIDEN’S EAR — “The most influential think tank of the Biden era has a new leader,” by Sam Stein and Natasha Korecki: “PATRICK GASPARD, a longtime Democratic operative who served most recently as president of the GEORGE SOROS-run Open Society Foundations, will take over as president and CEO of the Center for American Progress.
“His hiring ends a monthslong process to find a replacement for NEERA TANDEN, who left the post to become a senior adviser to President Joe Biden. And it immediately makes the 53-year-old Haitian-American one of the most powerful players in progressive politics outside of elected office. … Recently, there have been organizational concerns over the composition of the president’s bipartisan infrastructure deal; particularly, the absence of investments in climate and care initiatives. And like other liberal institutions, CAP is adjusting to a political climate in which its domestic priorities are being stymied by institutional hurdles, chiefly the Senate filibuster.”
REDISTRICTING READ — “Democratic-Leaning Suburbs Pose Redistricting Challenge for GOP,” by WSJ’s Chad Day, Cameron McWhirter and Dante Chinni in Gwinnett County, Ga.: “State officials and lawmakers across the country are preparing to redraw congressional districts this fall based on new population totals from the 2020 census. Republicans, who have greater control over the process because they hold majorities in more states with partisan redistricting processes, are grappling with how to approach once-reliably conservative suburbs that have more recently swung toward Democrats. …
“The process is complicated by the fact that the last election, which typically offers clues to the direction of the electorate, took place under the unusual circumstances of a pandemic with former President Donald Trump, a polarizing figure, atop the ticket. Those redrawing the districts must decide whether the results were an aberration — despite losing the White House and control of the Senate, many Republicans were heartened by the narrowing of the Democratic majority in the House — or should guide maps for the next decade.”
AUDIT FEVER — “Trump-backers want to export the Arizona ‘audit’ across the country,” by Zach Montellaro: “A monthslong examination of all the ballots from the 2020 election in Arizona’s most populous county may be winding down soon. But now the state is spreading the “audit” playbook across the country. Supporters of former President Donald Trump … are behind a new push to review the results in states including Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
“The new drive is worrying state election administrators, who say the efforts will further inflame conspiracy theories and erode faith in the American democratic system. The burden of these reviews could fall on the shoulders of state and local election officials, further complicating a field where many are worried about a brain drain due to exhaustion and threats workers faced in the aftermath of the 2020 election.”
SPOTTED at a reception hosted by Gloria Dittus and Cathy Merrill Williams at Dittus’ home Tuesday for this year’s Washington Women in Journalism Awards honorees, Norah O’Donnell, Yamiche Alcindor, Susan Glasser and Karen Attiah: Karen Pierce, Peter Baker, Matt Shay, Katherine Lugar, Jane Adams and Julia Ioffe. Pic
SPOTTED at Niki Christoff’s inaugural event for Christoff & Co.with women in tech at The Line Hotel on Tuesday night: Virginia Boney, Danielle Burr, Anna Mason, Margaret Nagle, Tiffany Moore, Susan Hendrick, Heather West, Stephanie Gunter, Megan Capiak, Michelle Russo, Lauren Claffey Tomlinson, Megan Brown,Gail Levine and Juleanna Glover.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Tim Lim is joining Fireside Campaigns as a senior adviser. He previously was a partner at Bully Pulpit Interactive, a member of the Biden campaign/transition’s national finance committees and a longtime Democratic strategist.
— Anne Harkavy and David Marsh have been named COS and deputy COS in the Office of the Director at the Office of Personnel Management. Harkavy most recently was the founding executive director of Democracy Forward Foundation and is a Biden-Harris transition alum. Marsh most recently was senior adviser to the COS at OPM and is also a Biden-Harris transition alum.
TRANSITIONS — Canaan McCaslin and Ashlee Jordan are joining the Georgetown Institute of Politics. McCaslin will be director of programming and previously was campaign manager for Rep. Kathy Castor’s (D-Fla.) reelect. Jordan will be assistant director of programming and previously was civic engagement program coordinator for the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. …
… Guy Hicks is retiring today as head of government relations at Airbus, after nearly 17 years at the company. Matthew Mazonkey will move up to succeed him. … April Kapu will be president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She previously has been associate chief nursing officer for advanced practice nursing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Authorities announced the recovery of six more bodies from the wreckage of a collapsed Miami condo tower on Wednesday, raising the confirmed death toll to 18.
Four victims were recovered overnight while two additional victims found in the rubble were announced on Wednesday evening. Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade county, said two of the victims were children. It was the highest one-day death toll since the collapse last week, and 147 people remain unaccounted for.
At the same time, rescue workers were casting a wary eye across the Atlantic at a developing weather system that has the potential to affect the disaster site next week as a possible tropical storm or hurricane.
The four victims recovered overnight from the wreckage of the Champlain Towers South block in the oceanfront town of Surfside were found by an Israeli search and rescue team.
Levine Cava said during a morning press briefing. She said the search for any survivors of last Thursday’s collapse was continuing “24/7, without stop”.
“We are doing everything humanly possible, and then some, to get through this tragedy, and we are doing it together,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) was monitoring two potential tropical systems crossing the Atlantic, the second of which, it said, had an 80% chance of developing into a dangerous tropical system over the next five days.
It is too early to know if there could be any impact to south Florida, but officials are taking precautions. The director of the Florida department of emergency management, Kevin Guthrie, told the briefing that an additional federal search and rescue team would arrive in Miami later on Wednesday “to free up state assets” that might be needed elsewhere.
“We’re working with our state meteorologist and the NHC. If a system does develop we have contingency plans, which include backup plans of how we will continue to respond here while responding to a hurricane,” he said.
The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, added: “This is hurricane season. We take this very seriously and take whatever steps are necessary. We hope we don’t have to, we hope it doesn’t come to that, but it is the season and you’ve got to be ready.”
A memorial for the missing and the victims of condo collapse in Surfside, Florida. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Thunderstorms rolled over the disaster site again on Friday, contributing to what the Miami-Dade fire and rescue chief, Alan Cominsky, said was already a hazardous environment to crews still sifting the rubble. On Sunday, one worker fell 25ft, witnessed by some of the families of the missing who were visiting the site.
“It’s a very, very difficult situation,” he said, describing the effort as “gruelling”. “We’re exhausting every avenue [but] it’s a very dangerous situation.”
As the search entered its seventh full day on Wednesday, processions of heavy dump trucks, escorted by police vehicles with sirens sounding, continued to remove wreckage. About 300m tons of rubble had been cleared so far, Cominsky said.
Joe Biden, who signed a federal disaster declaration last week, is scheduled to visit the scene on Thursday, and meet with families of those still unaccounted for at an assistance center in a nearby hotel.
Of those known to have died, 12 have so far been identified, Levine Cava said, the latest the 92-year-old mother of the police chief of the Miami neighborhood of North Bay, on Wednesday morning.
In a statement issued through the North Bay administration, the family of Hilda Noriega said they had lost their “heart and soul … but will get through this time by embracing the unconditional love Hilda was known for”.
A lawsuit filed by a survivor on Tuesday gave an insight into the horrors of the collapse.
“I run [sic] to the exit, open the doors that lead to the outside stairwell and saw the devastation,” the resident, Raysa Rodriguez, stated in the lawsuit against the condominium association, seen by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
“The beachside of Champlain had collapsed, pancaked. I screamed in horror,” she said.
Rodriguez said she was asleep, but was awakened by a loud noise, finding herself in the middle of the room with no idea how she got there.
DeSantis, Levine Cava and other state officials have promised an in-depth inquiry into the disaster. It was revealed at the weekend that a structural engineer’s report in 2018 revealed major defects in the condominium complex that were never addressed, and it was reported this week that the condo association sent a letter to residents in April warning that the building’s structural conditions were deteriorating.
CNN and MSNBC’s ratings collapsing, Ilhan Omar telling CNN she doesn’t regret equating US and Israel with the Taliban, and an MSNBC legal analyst praising Attorney General Garland for personally scooping ice cream for DOJ employees round out today’s top media headlines
New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams’ complaint about possible irregularities in the 2021 Democratic primary drew outrage from some prominent liberal writers, but the city’s beleaguered Board of Elections acknowledged a huge disparity in the count Tuesday.
The Brooklyn Borough president and former police chief currently holds a lead in the ranked choice primary, where voters ranked their top five preferred candidates rather than just choosing one, but Adams said the vote total on Tuesday was 100,000 more than the total counted on election night. The NYC Board of Elections acknowledged a “discrepancy” in Tuesday’s ranked choice voting count, revealing it counted “both test and election night results, producing approximately 135,000 additional records” and would have to re-tabulate the results.
But before Adams’ concerns were validated, left-wing writers attacked him as no better than former President Donald Trump claiming the 2020 election was rigged against him. Their outlets also notably did not push back and even promoted Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams’ claims that her 2018 gubernatorial defeat was rigged by Republican opponent Brian Kemp.
Vox writer Ian Millhiser called Adams’ statement “some Donald Trump s–t.”
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes reacted to the situation, “Something to consider is that the corrosive Big Lie conspiracy-theorizing and delegitimization of elections that Trump and the GOP have unleashed, won’t necessarily just stay contained to them.”
Like many of his MSNBC colleagues, Hayes was receptive to Abrams’ repeated argument that she lost a rigged election to Kemp. On Hayes’ podcast in 2020, she told him, “I can’t prove I would have won, but it’s a pretty solid thing that I would have been the governor of Georgia” if voter suppression, in her view, hadn’t taken place.
NYC MAYORAL PRIMMARY LEADER ADAMS CALLS HIMSELF ‘FACE OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY’
“It was a 50,000-vote margin,” Hayes said sympathetically.
Hayes went onto criticize the Board of Elections on Tuesday as news of the number discrepancy broke.
Another liberal writer, Jeet Heer, wrote sarcastically, “Big shout out to the pundits who celebrated Adams as a “‘normie’ and the sensible centrist” in response to Adams’ statement.
“Everyone’s ‘Eric Adams is like Trump’ tweets could use an edit function right now,” writer Anthony Fisher tweeted Tuesday night.
Under New York City’s new ranked-choice voting system, voters can choose their top five candidates in order. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in the first round, election officials knock off the candidate with the least amount of first-choice votes and count the second-choice option on the ballots that ranked the losing candidate highest.
It won’t be known until July at the earliest who won the Democratic primary. The winner will be the favorite to win the general election this fall to succeed term-limited Bill de Blasio, D.
The fiasco is not only frustrating the candidates and New York City voters who want to know who the Democratic nominee will be, but also CNN.
The liberal outlet fretted Wednesday that “in flubbing the exercise, the board also risked handing additional fodder to right-wingers in states and municipalities across the country, who might now seek to parlay the error into momentum for suppressive new voting laws.”
Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Nikole Hannah-Jones accepting a Peabody Award in May 2016.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
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Nikole Hannah-Jones accepting a Peabody Award in May 2016.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Trustees for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill voted Wednesday afternoon at a closed session to give tenure to star New York Times writer Nikole Hannah-Jones, several months after refusing to consider her proposed tenure.
The case inspired a bruising debate over race, journalism and academic freedom. It led both to national headlines and anger and distress among many Black faculty members and students at UNC. Some professors there have publicly said they were reconsidering their willingness to remain at the university over the journalist’s treatment by the university..
“We welcome Nikole Hannah-Jones back to campus,” the UNC’s board chairman, Richard Stevens, said at the close of statements after the three-hour special session of the trustees. “Our university is not a place to cancel people. Our university is better than that. Our nation is better than that.
“We embrace and endorse academic freedom and vigorous debate and constructive disagreement,” Stevens said. He also said the campus was not a place for calling people “woke” or “racist.” The trustees, he said, had to endure terrible insults but could not respond for privacy reasons involving the decision.
The dean of the UNC School of Journalism and Media, Susan King, said in a statement that she was heartened by the outcome.
“It has taken longer than I imagined, but I am deeply appreciative that the board has voted in favor of our school’s recommendation,” she wrote. “I knew that when the board reviewed her tenure dossier and realized the strength of her teaching, service and professional vision they would be moved to grant tenure.”
Protesters had demonstrated at the Carolina Inn on Wednesday afternoon, where the meeting was held, and were confronted inside before its start by campus police. They relented, heading outside, after being informed that Hannah-Jones had asked for a private meeting.
Months earlier, board members asked for more information about her credentials when originally declining to take up her proposed tenure. However, it soon became clear that opposition had focused on her work on “the 1619 Project,” a New York Times initiative she conceived on the legacy of slavery on U.S. society today.
Opposition came from a donor
Some of that opposition came from Walter Hussman, a UNC donor and Arkansas newspaper publisher whose name adorns UNC’s journalism school. Hussman, who is also an alumnus, told NPR he was given pause by criticism of prominent scholars that Hannah-Jones distorted the historical record in arguing that the protection of slavery was one of the primary motivations of the Founding Fathers in seeking independence from the British. (Hannah-Jones has recently tweeted that she will be able to back up that contention in her forthcoming book.)
He spoke to a trustee and administrators about his concerns, while saying it is the university’s choice to make.
Predecessors got tenure
Hannah-Jones was up for a professorship endowed by the Knight Foundation; several predecessors in the professorship were granted tenure while, like Hannah-Jones, also lacking a doctorate. Tenure is the promise of near-certain lifetime employment as a professor, barring misdeeds or dereliction of professional obligations. It is intended to ensure academic freedom for scholars to explore ideas and inquiry independent of public or political pressure.
It is highly unusual for a distinguished university’s trustees to turn down a professor for tenure once it has been backed by the relevant department’s faculty, chairman, the dean, and the provost, or chief academic officer. It is seen as interfering in the academic operation of the campus. Dean King had offered a Hannah-Jones a five-year contract to teach and said she intended to continue to seek the trustees’ approval for tenure.
Hannah-Jones is recipient of MacArthur genius grant
Hannah-Jones has won some of the most prestigious awards in journalism, and more. She won a MacArthur “genius grant” for her reporting on the persistence of segregation in American life. She won a Pulitzer Prize for her essay accompanying “the 1619 Project.”
Hannah-Jones also won a Peabody award for a three-part project for This American Life on racially segregated schools in contemporary America. She also won a national magazine award. She earned a master’s degree from the school itself in 2003. A former reporter for the News and Observer in nearby Raleigh, Hannah-Jones was also a reporter for the Portland Oregonian and the investigative outlet ProPublica.
Earlier this month, Hannah-Jones announced she would not accept the offer and would consider suing the university if it failed to give her tenure.
Hussman argued against her credentials by saying she was helping to erode trust in the press by ignoring important journalistic principles of objectivity – the idea that reporters should not take sides.
“I worry that we’re moving away from those time-tested principles of journalism that we had in the 20th century that were so effective at engendering tremendous trust in the media,” Hussman told NPR. He reiterated, however, his pledge of $25 million to the journalism school was not contingent on UNC’s vote on Hannah-Jones’s tenure, and that it was the university’s decision to make.
In a separate interview with NPR, Hannah-Jones said the promise of objectivity is a subterfuge.
“Most mainstream newspapers reflect power,” she said. “They don’t actually reflect the experiences of large segments of these populations, and that’s why many of these populations don’t trust them. So when I hear that, I think he’s speaking to a different audience.”
King has argued that Hannah-Jones’ intensive interests in reporting on race and society spoke to the moment and would enhance student experience. “She is a journalist’s journalist, a teacher’s teacher and a woman of substance with a voice of consequence,” King said Wednesday. “Hannah-Jones will make our school better with her presence. She will deepen the University’s commitment to intellectual integrity and to access for all.”
At 6:36p.m., about a half-hour after the announcement, Hannah-Jones posted a photo of herself on Twitter holding what appeared to be a celebratory glass of whiskey or bourbon. It had been mostly consumed.
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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm suggested that climate change could have played a role in the deadly collapse of a Florida condo tower — and was ripped by experts and online critics alike for the “ghoulish” opinion.
During an interview Tuesday on CNN, Granholm was asked whether climate change may have contributed to the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, where 149 people remain missing and 12 deaths have been confirmed, Fox News reported.
“Obviously, we don’t know fully, but we do know that the seas are rising. We know that we’re losing inches and inches of beaches, not just in Florida but all around,” Granholm said.
“Michigan, where I’m from, we’ve seen the loss of beaches because the waters are rising, so this is a phenomenon that will continue,” she added.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was ripped by experts and critics for suggesting climate change played a role in the Champlain Towers South collapse.CNN
“We’ll have to wait to see what the analysis is for this building, but the issue about resiliency and making sure we adapt to this changing climate, that’s going to mean levees need to be built, sea walls need to be built, infrastructure needs to be built,” Granholm said.
“Obviously, we don’t know fully, but we do know that the seas are rising,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm pointed out.AFP via Getty Images
“There’s so much investment that we need to do to protect ourselves from climate change but also to address it and mitigate it,” she continued. “Hopefully these infrastructure bills, when taken together, will make a huge step and allow America to lead again.”
The sea level has risen some 8 inches around the world since 1900, and especially during the 40 years since the Surfside tower was built, Zhong-Ren Peng, director of iAdapt — the International Center for Adaptation Planning and Design at the University of Florida — wrote in a piece for USA Today.
By 2100, the sea level along Florida’s southeastern coast will rise between 2.6 and 6.8 feet, Peng wrote, citing the state’s projections.
But a professor who researches the beaches in South Florida said it is unlikely that climate change alone was behind the collapse.
Stephen Leatherman, a Florida International University professor, said there’s no evidence yet that the phenomenon played a role in the collapse.
Florida International University professor Stephen Leatherman suggested a lack of structural reinforcement played more of a role in the collapse than climate change.ZUMAPRESS.com
“I doubt that that was an issue here,” he told Agence France-Presse during an interview in his Miami home.
Rather, a lack of reinforcement in the doomed structure’s construction, or perhaps water damage that eventually compromised its foundations, are more likely culprits, Leatherman told the news outlet.
“Big thing they worry about here are hurricanes, beach erosion, flooding, all those issues. But the collapse of a building is new. We haven’t ever seen this before, particularly a high-rise building,” he said.
A 2018 inspection survey reported cracking and spalling on parking garage columns.
Leatherman also questioned whether contractors installed enough rebar to support the concrete tower, and also the quality of the sand needed to make the concrete.
A 2018 engineer’s report found “major structural damage” in the complex, extending to the concrete slab under the pool deck and the concrete beams and columns in the underground garage.
Meanwhile, Granholm’s comments elicited rebuke in social media.
“There’s nothing that can’t be blamed on climate change,” National Review editor Rich Lowry said in a tweet.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office is expected to charge the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer with tax-related crimes on Thursday, people familiar with the matter said, which would mark the first criminal charges against the former president’s company since prosecutors began investigating it three years ago.
Any charges against the Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg, the company’s longtime chief financial officer, would be a blow to former President Donald Trump, who has fended off multiple criminal and civil probes during and after his presidency. But the initial charges won’t implicate Mr. Trump himself, his lawyer said, falling short of an expectation built during a high-profile probe that included a battle over the former president’s tax returns that went twice to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The defendants are expected to appear in court on Thursday afternoon, the people said.
The Trump Organization and Mr. Weisselberg are expected to face charges related to allegedly evading taxes on fringe benefits, the people said. For months, the Manhattan district attorney’s office and New York state attorney general’s office have been investigating whether Mr. Weisselberg and other employees illegally avoided paying taxes on perks—such as cars, apartments and private-school tuition—that they received from the Trump Organization.
A sole focus on fringe benefits would be unusual, former prosecutors said. It is rare to charge an individual or company for failure to pay taxes on employee benefits alone, although such charges are used as part of larger cases.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” [cheering] They came from all 50 states out of some sense of patriotic duty … “It’s so much more than just rallying for President Trump. It’s really rallying for our way of life. The American dream, against fake news.” … to protest an election they believed had been stolen. “Stop the steal! Stop the steal!” “We’re here, patriots. We’re in Washington D.C. Capitol building dead in front of us.” Their day of action would be Jan. 6 … “The House comes to order.” … when Congress would count electoral ballots and ratify the 2020 election results. For some, it was just a rally for their president. For others, it was a call to arms. “We have the power in numbers. March on Congress directly after Trump’s speech.” In the weeks beforehand, there were over a million mentions on social media of storming the Capitol. Maps were shared of the building’s layout. There was talk of bringing weapons and ammunition, and discussion over which lawmakers should be targeted first. This anger was based on a lie. “This election was a fraud.” A lie that had grown more frenzied after the election. “President Trump won this election.” “They were flipping votes.” “Steal the election in Philadelphia.” “When you win in a landslide and they —” “Steal the election in Atlanta —” “And it’s rigged —” “Steal the election in Milwaukee —” “It’s not acceptable.” “This is outrageous.” A lie spread by the president and his closest allies. “Let’s call out cheating when we find it.” Some of whom stoked calls for violence. “All hell is going to break loose tomorrow.” “Everyone’s going to remember who actually stands in the breach and fights tomorrow. And who goes running off like a chicken.” “We bleed freedom.” “This will be their Waterloo.” “And we will sacrifice for freedom.” “This will be their destruction.” “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” What happened next was chaos. “They broke the glass?” Insurrection. “Take it now!” “Treason! Treason!” Death. Then, there began a campaign to whitewash history, starting at the top. “It was a zero threat. Right from the start, it was zero threat.” And spreading throughout the Republican Party. “Even calling it an insurrection, It wasn’t. By and large, it was peaceful protest.” One lawmaker, who helped barricade the House doors, now suggests there was barely any threat. “If you didn’t know the TV footage was a video from January the 6th, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit.” A tourist visit this was not. And the proof is in the footage. As part of a six-month investigation, The New York Times has collected and forensically analyzed thousands of videos, most filmed by the rioters themselves. We obtained internal police radio traffic … … and went to court to unseal police body-cam footage. Our reconstruction shows the Capitol riot for what it was, a violent assault encouraged by the president on a seat of democracy that he vowed to protect. We’ll chart how police leaders failed to heed warnings of an impending attack, putting rank-and-file officers in danger. We’ll track key instigators in the mob taking advantage of weaknesses in the Capitol’s defenses to ignite a wave of violence that engulfed the building. We’ll show, for the first time, the many simultaneous points of attack, and the eight breaches of what appeared to be an impenetrable institution of government. We’ll show how the delay to secure Congress likely cost a rioter her life. And how for some, storming the Capitol was part of the plan, all along. “In fact, tomorrow, I don’t even like to say it because I’ll be arrested.” “Well, let’s not say it. We need to go — I’ll say it.” “All right.” “We need to go in to the Capitol.” “Let’s go!” It’s the morning of Jan. 6, and thousands are filling the National Mall in Washington. Trump will speak here at the Ellipse, a large park near the White House and a half-hour walk to the U.S. Capitol where the election will be certified. Who is actually in this crowd? Most are ordinary citizens who believe Trump’s lie that the election was stolen. “It’s going to be a great day. It’s going to be wild, as Trump says.” But we also see more extreme groups who’ve gained a following during Trump’s presidency. There are followers of the QAnon conspiracy … “Drinking their blood, eating our babies.” … who believe that Trump is facing down a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles. Q posts often invoked notions of patriotism and predict a coming storm. And ahead of Jan. 6, some supporters call for violence. The Oath Keepers, a far-right paramilitary group, are also here. “We have men already stationed outside D.C. —” Their leader has said the group is ready to follow Trump’s orders and take members of what they call the “Deep State” into custody. They’re organized, staging their military-style equipment neatly on the ground. And later, they put on body armor, talk on radios, and chat with their supporters on a walkie-talkie app called Zello. “We have a good group. We got about 30, 40, of us who are sticking together and sticking to the plan. Y’all, we’re one block away from the Capitol, now. I’m probably going to go silent when I get there because I’m going to be a little busy.” Another group is the Proud Boys. They’re far-right nationalists who flashed white power signs throughout the day. “Check out all this testosterone.” They became a household name when Trump invoked them during a presidential debate. “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.” And that’s what they did. They have a history of street violence and will be key instigators of the riot. We’ll return to them soon. Although the rally is billed as a political protest, some make calls to storm the Capitol even before Trump speaks. And later, when Trump does take the stage … “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol.” … some hear his words as a call to action. “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building.” Two hours before this, the Proud Boys were already heading for the Capitol. They’re clearly spoiling for a fight with far-left agitators like antifa, who they believe are in D.C. But there are moments that suggest another motive. “Come on, tighten up.” “Come on, boys. They’re organized, too. Many are marked with orange tape or hats. They’re wearing body armor, carrying baseball bats and using radios. “That’s affirmative. Jesse, this is Tucker” Leading them is Ethan Nordean, who’s been entrusted with so-called war powers. He’s joined by other well-known Proud Boys like Joe Biggs, an organizer from Florida, Dominic Pezzola, a former Marine, and Billy Chrestman. They will be among the first rioters inside the Capitol building. “Proud Boys.” As Trump is speaking, some of his other supporters also head to the Capitol. Chanting: “Whose streets? Our streets! Whose streets? Our streets!” And the tone is becoming menacing. “And we’re going to storm the [expletive] Capitol. [expletive] you, [expletive].” “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” Just ahead, officers guarding the building are understaffed and ill-equipped for what’s coming their way. “You going to stop us?” The building is more than two football fields in length. And barricades erected on the east side are defended by just a few dozen officers. The west side, facing Trump’s rally, is even lighter. The fencing has been extended and on the northwest approach, only five officers stand guard. Around five also defend the southwest approach, a few more dot the lawn and about a dozen officers are behind them. Plans to storm the Capitol were made in plain sight, but the F.B.I. and Department of Homeland Security did not deem those threats as credible. “We will take that building!” “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” Capitol Police leaders and Washington’s mayor were warned at least three times of violent threats, but also didn’t take them seriously or circulate that information. And they declined offers of security personnel from federal and other agencies. They could have enlisted several hundred more Capitol police for duty on Jan. 6, but did not. And none of the officers on the barricades have protective gear or crowd-control equipment. As a result, the Capitol is sparsely defended. “Whose House? Our House! Whose House? Our House!” It’s 12:50 p.m. and a large group of Proud Boys is with other protesters right by the Capitol Police line. Joe Biggs is rallying them. When he’s approached by Ryan Samsel, a Trump supporter from Pennsylvania. They chat, we don’t know about what. But a minute later, Samsel is the first to approach the police line. And it’s now that the protest turns violent. “U.S.A.!” Without hesitation, the crowd overpowers the police. Nearby, a second group breaks through on another approach. Others jump fences. And now hundreds of rioters rush forward on several fronts. “D.C. is a [expletive] war zone.” Police retreat to the Capitol building where it’s becoming more threatening. “This is what we came for! Yeah!” A mob mentality begins to take hold. Police are so outnumbered, they’re forced to retreat again to more tightly defend access points to the Capitol. It’s now five minutes into the siege that the Capitol Police chief calls for backup from local law enforcement, known as the Metropolitan Police, and asks other Capitol leaders to mobilize the National Guard. “You took an oath! Does that not mean a damn thing to you, does it?” Metro Police will arrive within 15 minutes. But for reasons we’ll explain later, the National Guard won’t arrive for over four hours. “Back up! Back up!” Meanwhile, more Capitol Police come to reinforce the line. It’s the first time we see officers in riot gear. But most are missing their shields because they had not prepared to unlock the storage area where that equipment is kept. Proud Boys like Billy Chrestman keep rallying the mob. And again, they start brawling with the police. Minutes later, reinforcements from the Metro Police arrive. A high-ranking Metro officer immediately calls for more backup. They struggle to subdue rioters who respond with their own chemical spray. And within 30 minutes, the police already have casualties. [shouting] This first wave of rioters battling police has paved the way across Capitol grounds for others to follow. And after Trump finishes speaking, thousands more now fill the space. Meanwhile, inside the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence have begun certifying the 2020 presidential election results. Certification will happen on both sides of the building, in the House and the Senate. And this is what the rioters want to stop. An hour into the assault, the mob is battling a police line here, along the west face of the Capitol. But that violence is now going to spread to multiple points of attack, as west side rioters stream around the Capitol and incite the crowd on the east. Here’s what that crowd looks like on the east. “Stop the steal! Stop the steal! Stop the steal!” They’re aware of the siege happening on the west side, and some are emboldened by it. But up until now, they’ve been kept behind the barricades. “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” Then this group from the west storms around to the building and pushes right through the barriers. The police here barely put up a fight. And it’s now that protesters, all along the east barricades, surge forward. [cheering] Officers are overwhelmed from several directions, and retreat to guard Capitol entrances. But these rioters believe they’ve been deputized by their president to stop a crime. And now, they start trying to get into the building itself. [shouting] [glass breaking] [pounding on door] The Capitol is now surrounded. Rioters haven’t made it inside yet, but around the time that the mob on the east pushed forward, rioters on the west were making a pivotal move. This scaffolding was erected for the upcoming inauguration of Joe Biden. It covers a staircase that gives direct access to an upper level, and dozens of doors and windows. Three police lines guard that route. But at ground level, officers are so overwhelmed that just a few cover this crucial access point. Several Proud Boys see the weakness. Proud Boys start fighting the police, and with others in the mob, they push through the line. Over several minutes, it’s a brutal fight on these steps. At one point, the rioters are held back. [groaning] But they make a final push up the flight of stairs. [cheering] At the top, they scuffle again with a small group of officers … … who give in after barely a minute. The mob now has direct access to Capitol entrances. “I can’t believe this is reality. We accomplished this [expletive].” And hundreds more protesters below, surge forward. “Let’s go! The siege is ours.” It’s utter mayhem, and it’s about to get worse. This scene is being filmed from countless angles allowing us to piece together, moment by moment, what comes next. Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola uses a police shield he stole to bash in a window. And at 2:13 p.m., the Capitol is breached. Michael Sparks, a Trump supporter from Kentucky, is the first person inside. A police officer seems unsure of what to do and backs off. Sparks is followed by Proud Boys and other far-right extremists, one carrying a Confederate flag, another armed with a baseball bat. When rioters break open the locked doors, hundreds more rush in. [shouting] [glass breaking] This is a critical moment. Officers must now defend the outside and inside of the building, stretching them even further. Simultaneous events now happen that are critical to lawmakers’ safety. Rioters head straight for the Senate, and will be at its doors in two minutes. Above them, the Senate is called into recess. “We’ll pause.” Members will evacuate down these stairs. In this hallway, directly overhead the rioters, Officer Eugene Goodman is sprinting to overtake them. He passes Mitt Romney, who he warns to turn around. Reinforcements are following behind. Goodman overtakes the mob, goes downstairs and intercepts them. He holds them off while backup arrives upstairs. Behind these rioters, and just feet away, is an escape route where the lawmakers and Senate staff are now fleeing. Just one officer stands guard. Keeping his composure, Goodman draws the mob away from that escape route to where reinforcements are waiting. Goodman: “Second floor!” He glances toward the Senate, and realizes the door is unguarded. Goodman shoves the protester again, lures the mob away, and brings them into that line of fellow officers. Again, the rioters here are convinced it’s their duty to defend democracy. “We’re not [expletive] around! Because we are mad!” [shouting] The officers hold them off here, for now. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Capitol, a few political leaders are evacuated from the House of Representatives. But despite a lockdown alert, proceedings here will resume. “The House will be in order.” We’ll go there soon. First, we’ll go to the Crypt in the center of the Capitol below the Rotunda. The mob is already at its entrance. If they get through here, they will more easily fan out across the building. Rioters jostle with police here for six minutes, and then flood through. It’s now 2:24 p.m., some 90 minutes after the siege began, and the mob is about to overrun the building. “Stop the steal! Stop the steal!” As this is happening, and as thousands more swell outside, Trump composes a tweet. Not to calm his supporters, but to blame his vice president. He writes: At this very time, Pence and his family are being taken to safety, along with an aide who’s carrying the country’s nuclear launch equipment. “O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave?” At 2:25 p.m., there’s another major breach on the opposite side of the building, the east side. Rioters have been battling a handful of officers at these doors for almost half an hour. The tide turns when rioters who came through the Crypt, reach these doors and pull them open. Then an active-duty Marine Corps officer, Christopher Warnagiris, keeps that door open for the mob to flood in. Just as elsewhere, this crowd is a mix of die-hard Trump supporters, but also more organized groups like the Oath Keepers, who move in formation here toward that east side entrance. The Oath Keepers and their supporters continue to update each other on the Zello chat app. The group enters the Capitol together. Proud Boys are near them, including Joe Biggs, the organizer we saw earlier. He’s entering the building for a second time. The Oath Keepers fill the Rotunda along with hundreds of other rioters. “Took over the Capitol. Overran the Capitol.” “We’re in the [expletive] Capitol, bro.” Now the police inside the building are completely outnumbered and call for backup. “It’s our House!” “Whose House?” “Our House!” Throughout the Capitol, staffers have barricaded doors to keep the mob out. In Nancy Pelosi’s chambers, staffers rush inside a conference room and lock two doors behind them. Just 12 minutes later, rioters outside head straight for her offices. “Nancy! Nancy!” And pile in. Huddled together under a table, Pelosi’s staff record what’s happening. One rioter tries to break into that same room. Inside, staffers are silent as they record him pounding. [loud banging] He gets through the first door, but the second door keeps him out. It’s a scene that, again, shows just how compromised the U.S. government has become. “I think I like my new dining room.” By 2:30 p.m., the Senate evacuation is well underway. But even though a lockdown was called over 15 minutes ago, the House is still in session. “Do not accept Arizona’s electors as certified.” Representative Jim McGovern is chairing. He told us he wanted to finish hearing objections to the election results by Paul Gosar. House staff and security gave McGovern the all-clear to continue. It’s a delay that likely cost someone their life. Suddenly, staff are now pointing at the chamber’s doors. Just outside, a mob of 100 or more is baying to get into them. These rioters pay little heed to the thin line of police. “They’re going. Yeah, I would just stop — bro.” And in moments, are pushing against the doors into the House. “Stop the steal!” On the other side, Capitol Police erect a barricade and draw their guns. “You’re a traitor.” On the floor, lawmakers are evacuated to the rear of the chamber, where in a few minutes a rioter will be shot and killed. Part of the mob outside now peels off in that direction to find a different way in. Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran and QAnon supporter, is among the first to arrive at the rear of the House. “Open the door.” They see the lawmakers escaping. That lobby might have been clear had the House been evacuated sooner. But the rioters now become incensed. Zachary Alam, a Trump supporter from Pennsylvania, punches in the glass panels with his bare fists. [pounding on door] “Open the door.” Police are stretched extremely thin. Just three officers and a security staffer stand guard. None are wearing riot gear, and they keep their weapons holstered. “It’s going to get worse.” “Open the door.” When a team of heavily armed police now arrives, the three officers step aside. “Go! Let’s go! Get this.” This creates a crucial gap that allows rioters to smash in the glass. A warning — what happens next is graphic. It’s 2:44 p.m., and behind the door, a police officer draws his handgun. Babbitt vaults into the window and the officer shoots her once. [gunshot] “Oh! Oh!” It’s a fatal wound through the upper chest. Inside the chamber, the floor is clear, but lawmakers in the balcony are sheltering in place. [gunshot] “The [expletive]?” “Take your pins off.” “Pins off.” They now remove the breast pins that identify them as members of Congress. A group of rioters who almost made it to the balcony are held at gunpoint as it’s finally evacuated. Now Trump supporters have achieved their goal, stopping the election certification. And while the House is evacuated, at the other side of the building, the Senate is occupied. “Treason! Treason! Treason!” On the Senate floor, they leaf through lawmakers’ files. “There’s got to be something in here we can [expletive] use against these scumbags.” Mug for photos. “Jesus Christ —” Pray. “We invoke Your name. Amen!” “Amen!” And leave a message for Mike Pence. “It’s only a matter of time. Justice is coming.” As rioters inside have been rampaging throughout the Capitol, the crowd outside has grown. And that first battle has continued raging. [horn blowing] For almost two hours, officers face off with rioters who say they support the police … … but assault them, anyway. We’re going to show what happened here because it demonstrates, yet again, how failures by Capitol Police leaders to prepare put the safety of these officers at risk. “Leave him alone! Leave him alone!” Capitol Police had been ordered to withhold some of their stronger weapons. But as soon as Robert Glover, a Metro Police inspector arrives, he calls for his munitions team to help. When the building is breached, Glover knows he needs to retreat and seeks advice from Capitol leaders. [shouting] When Capitol don’t respond, he asks four times. “Push! Push! Push! Push!” Then, the police lose the line. “We the people, we are the storm!” Rioters knock an officer over, throw a fire extinguisher. “U.S.A.!” Glover issues a 10-33, the call of last resort. Crazed rioters hound the police even as they retreat to the upper level. Police now begin to guard this doorway, an iconic centerpiece of presidential inaugurations. But for another two hours, the same pattern will repeat. Rioters fill the terrace. Instigators trigger a frenzy. And tragically, someone will die. A brutal fight erupts in the doorway. The mob heaves in a coordinated scrum. [screaming] “Help!” When police finally push them out, they face even worse violence. They are tased, gassed and robbed of their equipment. They’re beaten with a crutch, a hockey stick and even an American flag. At least four officers are pulled into the crowd. One dragged by his own helmet, face down. And again, the frenzy turns fatal. Rosanne Boyland, a Trump supporter who has been swept up by QAnon conspiracies, is moving toward the door. But amid the scrum, she collapses and is lying unconscious beneath the mob. [crowd chants] “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!” As the crowd sarcastically chants a Black Lives Matter slogan, Boyland’s friend, Justin Winchell, tries to pull her to safety. He screams for help. But instead, fellow rioters trample over Boyland and charge at the police again. Boyland will be pronounced dead at a local hospital in the evening. By the end of the day, rioters have breached and entered the building in at least eight locations. There’s the first breach, which we’ve seen, when rioters smashed through two windows and a door. Beside that, a rioter with a crowbar smashes in a second door, and then opens it to hundreds of people. Others smash a window next to the Inauguration door and climb inside. “Patriots, we need people to stand up for our country and our Constitution.” At this entrance, police stand aside and allow rioters to stream in, unchallenged. On the north side of the building, police in riot gear yield and let the crowd in. Another three breaches are on the east side, two by the central doors into the Rotunda, and this southeast door leading to the House chamber. It’s the arrival of more Metropolitan Police and other agencies that finally turns the tide. When those officers enter the Rotunda, they clear it in just 20 minutes. As the mob is pushed back through the east doors, their rage turns to Mike Pence, who Trump attacked earlier. Metro officers also stop other rioters from entering on the west side, where the mob first broke in. But here, too, we see a crowd empowered by the belief that they’re carrying out some patriotic duty. Over the course of the day, 150 police officers are injured. After 4 p.m., Metro and Capitol Police regain control of the upper levels. The final parts of the interior are cleared by other law enforcement, including federal agencies. Tear gas and flash bangs disperse the crowd on the Inauguration terrace. The Virginia State Police and Arlington County Police help to reclaim that area. Then rioters are swiftly pushed off Capitol grounds by a reinforced police line. Only now, more than three hours after Capitol police first called them, do National Guard soldiers arrive. “You can just do and turn down, right now.” Troops were staging just 20 minutes away. But a recent procedural change meant the highest level of the Pentagon had to approve deployment. And Pentagon officials delayed the decision, partially in fear of bad optics, even as the Capitol was being overrun. As calm returns, the president tweets again. He repeats that the election had been stripped away, calls his supporters great patriots, and says: The aftermath of Jan. 6 has been as divisive as the lie that launched it. Even as one arm of government has indicted hundreds of rioters, Republican lawmakers continue efforts to normalize what happened with a mix of denials and conspiracy theories. “Some of the people who breached the Capitol today were not Trump supporters.” “I knew those are people that love this country, that truly respect law enforcement, would never do anything to break a law. And so I wasn’t concerned.” They include Paul Gosar, who’d been at the Trump rally. “The D.O.J. is harassing peaceful patriots across the country.” And Andrew Clyde, who we saw earlier, standing just a few feet from rioters. “There was no insurrection. And to call it an insurrection, in my opinion, is a bald-faced lie.” Republican leaders have blocked an independent investigation that could have brought new details to light. “I’ve made the decision to oppose the House Democrats’ slanted and unbalanced proposal for another commission to study the events of January the 6th.” And in May, a top Republican was ousted from the party’s leadership after blaming Trump for inspiring the riot. “And I think that the party is in a place that we’ve got to bring it back from.” None of what happened on Jan. 6 would have been possible without a huge mass of ordinary people who were proud of what they achieved. “We made it!” “Yeah! We stopped the vote!” Millions around the country still believe the violence was not only justified, but necessary. And the forces that brought them there have not gone away. “Yeah, the patriots are coming back, y’all. Hopefully, y’all will be on our side when that happens.”
In the administrative skills category, Trump was ranked last among the 45 former presidents. He also fell in last in the category of moral authority, just below Buchanan — who is most widely known for his failure to prevent the Civil War. Trump fared better in the Public Persuasion category, in which he was ranked 32nd, and economic management, where he was 34th.
Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley, who has advised C-SPAN on the survey since its first iteration, said one reason for Trump’s low ranking could be his 2021 impeachment, which made him the only U.S. president ever to be impeached twice.
“This year, people compared which is worse: Watergate or the Trump impeachment?,” Brinkley said in a C-SPAN press release. “The word ‘impeachment’ probably cost Nixon a few spots downward this year, and maybe Clinton too.”
Trump’s four years in office were also marked by the onset of Covid-19, his administration’s handling of which has been widely criticized, as well as the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, for which Trump has been widely blamed. Trump still maintains the disproven claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
In the overall survey, Abraham Lincoln was ranked first, as has been the case since the survey began. George Washington came in second and Franklin D. Roosevelt in third — the same former presidents comprising the top three in the list since 2000. The top nine rankings remained the same as they were in 2017, following Obama’s second term.
In Obama’s climb to the top 10, his rating improved greatly in the relations with Congress category, where he jumped from 39th to 32nd. In the performed within context of times category, Obama also improved from 15th to 10th. The 44th president’s pursued equal justice for all rating remained his highest, with him sitting at third, just below Lincoln and Lyndon B. Johnson, for the second survey in a row.
C-SPAN noted that the category with the most change in rankings over the last 20 years was pursued equal justice for all, with Woodrow Wilson’s category ranking dropping 17 points since the first survey to this year’s.
“Despite the fact that we’ve become more aware of the historical implications of racial injustice in this country and we’re continuing to grapple with those issues, we still have slaveholding presidents at or near the top of the list,” Howard University professor Edna Greene Medford said in the press release. Washington, still the second president on the list, enslaved people during his term. “So even though we may be a bit more enlightened about race today, we are still discounting its significance when evaluating these presidents.”
Obama’s move into the group of top 10 presidents in this year’s survey edged out Johnson, who fell to 11th place. Other presidents whose position dropped in this year’s survey include Gerald Ford (28th place) and Bill Clinton (19th place), while others, like Warren Harding (37th place) and Chester Arthur (30th place) moved their way up the list. Still, the rankings remained largely similar to the previous survey, taken in 2017.
The largest jump since the 2000 survey to 2021 was claimed by Ulysses S. Grant, who served during Reconstruction. Grant was ranked No. 33 in the first survey, and now stands at No. 20.
“Grant,” Brinkley said in the press release, “is having his Hamilton moment.”
Search and Rescue teams look for possible survivors in the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on June 29, in Surfside, Florida. Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images
The condo building, Champlain Towers South, partially collapsed in the middle of the night Thursday as many residents slept. Currently, 125 people have been accounted for and 12 have been confirmed dead.
US and international teams are looking for bedrooms buried under 13 to16 feet of concrete, Col. Golan Vach, commander of the Israeli National Rescue Unit said.
“There is still hope,” Vach told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “Until one week, I have a solid hope that we will find someone. After one week, it’s minor.”
Alarcon said he has no idea how long the rescue and recovery efforts will go on, especially seeing as the round-the-clock work has barely scratched the surface of removing the debris. But he said the crews were motivated by understanding the perspective of the families.
“What would I do? How hard are we going to work to save our family members if something like this were to happen?” he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “I just want (the families) to know that we’re doing everything we can.”
And many in the community are looking for ways they can help those impacted as well.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said that over $1.9 million has been raised to help those affected as of Tuesday, and some of those donations made to SupportSurfside.org have already been distributed to at least a dozen families in need and a handful of nonprofits.
The building’s tennis center has been transformed. Now, it functions as a respite for the first responders, and the walls are adorned with flowers and photos memorializing those who are unaccounted for and the 12 who have died.
Laura Hernandez, a babysitter, used to spend hours on that court with Graciela Cattarossi while her daughter, Stella, played with the children Henandez babysat, she told CNN affiliate WSVN. Both, along with Graciela’s parents and sister, have been reported missing.
“In September I’m going to go back with the kids, but Stella and Grace are not going to be there. It makes my heart break,” Hernandez told the station.
Those who survived the collapse have told harrowing stories of their escapes.
Iliana Monteagudo, 64, woke up in the middle of the night Thursday to a strange sound. Then, she saw a crack snaking down her wall.
Barefoot, she ran from her sixth floor unit down the stairs, hearing thunderous noises and climbing over several walls as she raced toward safety, according to CNN affiliate WPLG.
“I start going down, fast, and I hear crack, crack, crack,” she said. “I start to scream, ‘Come on God, I want to see my son, I want to see my grandson. Don’t let me die in this condition.'”
Once outside she called her son to say she was OK, but that the building behind her had collapsed.
“Three seconds separate me, the life to the death. Three seconds,” she told the station.
Sara Nir’s daughter had gone to take a shower and her son was keeping busy when Nir heard what sounded like construction noises around 1:10 a.m. She went to talk to the security guard about the noise in the night but was interrupted by a big boom and the garage collapsing.
She ran back to grab her family, she told CNN, and together they escaped. Two loud booming noises later and all they could see were white clouds from the dust.
Esther Gorfinkel, 88, was carried out of the building by neighbors as she headed slowly down the staircase.
When she told Albert Aguero, a man who carried her, that she lived a good 88 years and didn’t need to be rescued, he told her “No, you’re going to make it to your 89th birthday,” Aguero told CNN affiliate WPLG.
“I saw the sky. I knew I will be safe,” Gorfinkel said.
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