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How the Jeep Wrangler went from rock crawler to luxury SUV

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The Jeep Wrangler can ford rivers, crawl over boulders, traverse deserts and blaze through uncharted territory. Fierce yet affordable, the humble 4X4 has long been the go-to vehicle for outdoor enthusiasts.

These days, however, the rugged sport utility vehicle may seem more like a luxury ute than off-roading warrior.

Last month, Jeep executives introduced the redesigned 2024 Wrangler, replete with all the modern necessities: 12-way power adjustable front seats, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, advanced safety features, contrast accent stitching and acoustic front glass and thicker carpeting for a quieter ride.

These updates took a lot of engineering prowess to get right, according to Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep North America.

“Drivers can now have water up to their knees and still have a power seat,” he told ABC News.

Morrison, a veteran Jeep executive, knew that to keep Jeep owners happy — and bring in new customers — the Wrangler had to be as good on road as it is off-road.

“The new inclusion of power seats truly speaks to who Jeep’s real customer base is: affluent people,” Ed Kim, president of consulting firm AutoPacific, told ABC News. “These customers want the image and style of a Wrangler. For affluent customers, there has been this long and growing desire for real, rugged off-road vehicles.”

Like Jeep, automakers Rivian and Kia saw the sales potential of adventure-type vehicles, said Kim.

“Even the Kia Telluride has more rugged styling than the typical family crossover and it’s been a success,” he noted.

As the Wrangler’s popularity has risen, so has the price. A base 4-door Wrangler Sport starts at $36,990. The Rubicon 392, with a 6.4L V8 SRT Hemi engine, has an MSRP of $82,495.

The Wrangler 4xe, the top-selling plug-in hybrid in the U.S., starts at $54,735 before a $3,750 federal tax credit is applied.

In February, Jeep introduced two 20th anniversary editions: a Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and a Wrangler Rubicon 392. Jeep execs capped production of the two models to 3,000 units, calling them “the most capable Wranglers yet.” They were priced accordingly: $69,585 for the 4xe model and $90,895 for the 392. A Level II upfit by American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) added more than $20,000 to the price.

Consumers did not care; the 20th anniversary Wrangler Rubicon 392 — with a price tag of $113,820 — sold out within an hour. The $90,895 version was gone in less than 24 hours.

“We are seeing more demand for high-priced Wranglers,” said Morrison. “Wrangler has a high residual value.”

Kim said the high prices can be attributed to two factors: the supply crunch and automakers choosing to produce “more lavishly equipped models” to make up for a loss in volume. Jeep has also started to customize Wranglers at its factory in Ohio, allowing customers to spend even more.

“The Wrangler has long been an aftermarket favorite — you buy it and immediately do a lift kit on it, add big wheels and tires. A whole industry was built around the Wrangler,” Kim said. “Jeep saw an opportunity to do customization at the factory. Rubicons now come with the best off-road gear already installed.”

Jeep’s longtime competitors were Chevrolet and Ford, mainstream automotive brands that middle-income Americans could afford. Now, Jeep competes with upscale brands like Infiniti and Acura, said Kim. More than 200,000 Wranglers were sold last year, making it Jeep’s second most popular model after the Grand Cherokee.

“Jeep executives have talked about pushing the brand into a more premium space,” Kim said. “New Wranglers are street vehicles 99% of the time. Very few customers go off-road in them.”

These days corporate executives and wealthy families are buying the Wrangler. Even Porsche 911 owners are trading in their sports cars for one, according to Tyson Jominy, vice president of data and analytics at J.D. Power.

“The 4-door Wrangler is a family vehicle,” he told ABC News. “Adding four doors expanded its user friendliness and moved the Wrangler upmarket. The Wrangler became the halo SUV.”

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Lofty prices and high interest rates haven’t frightened customers from buying a Wrangler yet, said Jominy.

“It remains to be seen if the prices have become too high,” he said. “The Wrangler has few incentives, if any. But there’s no slowing down the Wrangler. There are so few like it. The only competitor is the Ford Bronco.”

Orlando resident Colin Wallace said his Wrangler Rubicon 4xe is the best Jeep he’s owned. He commutes to and from his office on electric power alone, gassing up maybe once a month. Wallace, a former Volkswagen GTI and Porsche Cayman owner, pays nearly $400 a month to lease the plug-in hybrid though he knows of other Rubicon 4xe owners who pay $800 a month. The sticker price of his 4xe is $66,000 — more than a Porsche Macan SUV he had on order.

Wallace touted the Wrangler’s improved highway handling though he cautioned prospective buyers to temper their expectations.

“A lot of people who are drawn to the Wrangler 4xe are expecting a Prius,” he told ABC News. “It’s not one. It lacks the niceties. It’s at a luxury price point but doesn’t have safety features you’d expect for $60,000.”

Jominy said Americans often overlook the Wrangler’s faults — drifting on the highway, poor fuel economy and rough ride — for the benefits of owning one.

“The Wrangler doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not,” he said. “You can take the doors and windshield off. Kids love them. Wranglers are so much fun because they’re so unique from everything else on the road.”

He added, “You know there’s going to be trade-offs, even at the high prices. You forgive it for things that you normally wouldn’t.”

Morrison said the latest version of the Wrangler solves his one complaint with the SUV.

“I can now drive 80 mph and talk to my mom on the phone,” he said.

7 dead after car runs into pedestrians in Brownsville, Texas, alleged driver arrested

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(BROWNSVILLE, Texas) — Seven people are dead in Brownsville, Texas, after a car ran into pedestrians Sunday morning while they were waiting at a bus stop.

The crash occurred at 8:30 a.m. near the Ozanam Center in Brownsville when a gray Range Rover slammed into the bus stop, a representative from the Brownsville Police Department told ABC News.

In addition to those who died, up to 10 people are being treated for serious and minor injuries at the hospital, according to police.

Police have a male suspect, who is a resident of Brownsville, in custody and receiving medical care, authorities said.

Some of those hit Sunday are migrants, according to Martin Sandoval, Brownsville Police PIO. The migrants were under the care of border patrol, police said.

“We grieve for the victims in Brownsville, Texas, who were run over outside a migrant shelter where people from around the world are seeking asylum and safety,” the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement Sunday. “We understand the motive is still under investigation. This horrific event comes after weeks of escalating anti-immigrant policy-making by Texas politicians and while the Biden administration considers imposing a new asylum ban aimed at deterring, rather than welcoming, migrants seeking protection.”

The driver is in the hospital being treated and under 24-hour guard watch, police said. Tests are currently being performed to check for alcohol and drug use, police said.

Investigators did not comment on a possible motive or whether the crash was intentional.

“Secretary Mayorkas has been briefed on the tragic situation in Brownsville and has reached out to local leaders to offer condolences and the full support of the Department,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement. “The Department is in close touch with local authorities to provide assistance.”

In 2018 debate prep, recordings show DeSantis feared becoming ‘mini version of Kavanaugh’ over racial issues

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(TALLAHASSEE) — During his first run for governor of Florida in 2018, then-Congressman Ron DeSantis was publicly grappling with a number of issues regarding race that had plagued his campaign.

In one incident, DeSantis came under fire for a public comment he made ahead of the election in which he urged Florida voters not to “monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda”– which drew a strong rebuke from his African American opponent, Democratic Andrew Gillum.

DeSantis pushed back at the time, saying the comment had “zero to do with race.”

Now, video footage exclusively obtained by ABC News of the DeSantis team’s mock debate sessions during that 2018 run for governor show him and his advisers candidly discussing how to handle their response to the “monkey” comment backlash — with DeSantis comparing the issue to a “a mini version of Kavanaugh,” an apparent reference to the firestorm that arose over sexual assault allegations leveled against then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which Kavanaugh strongly denied.

“If I show any weakness on that, I think I lose my base,” DeSantis said during the discussions, according to the nearly two and a half hours of private 2018 debate prep footage obtained by ABC News. “I think that I appear to be less than a leader, and so I just think I’ve got to come at it full throttle and say that’s wrong.”

He wanted to come at the issue hard and “speak to those people” who felt “political correctness has gone too far,” DeSantis said in the video.

At another point, his then-adviser Rep. Matt Gaetz — who has gone on to support former President Donald Trump’s third bid for the White House — told DeSantis he was coming in “too hot” on the issue.

“It deserves to be hot!” DeSantis exclaimed. “I mean, I’m sorry!”

“Kavanaugh showed that when you say ‘f— this,” DeSantis said regarding the accusations against the then-nominee. “We did such a horrible job of pushing back on all these stupid stories from the beginning. He’s going to rattle off a list.”

And behind closed doors, DeSantis said that if he had meant the racist comment, he would have apologized.

“Nobody thinks that’s what you meant,” an adviser off camera told DeSantis, who responded, “Right, that’s a thing. I mean, if I honestly meant — I would have apologized, I mean, because it would have been wrong. I mean, I’ll man up.”

The newly obtained videos come amid ABC News’ recent reporting that DeSantis’ team has already quietly begun debate prep for the upcoming GOP primary, including reviewing past debate performances, sources familiar with the preparations have said. DeSantis is now likely to skip announcing an exploratory committee, despite previous reports, and instead is expected to launch a full campaign next month, sources said.

During the 2018 debate prep sessions, DeSantis also appeared to downplay a comment criticized as racist made by a right-wing author David Horowitz, who had hosted a number of conferences that DeSantis had spoken at. “David has done such great work …. and I’ve been a big admirer of an organization that shoots straight, tells the American people the truth and is standing up for the right thing,” DeSantis said in 2015 of Horowitz, who among other things had criticized Black Americans for not feeling “gratitude” toward whites for their “sacrifices” in ending slavery.

At one of the public debates against Gillum in October 2018, DeSantis sidestepped the issue, responding to a moderator’s question on the topic by saying, “How the hell am I supposed to know every single statement someone makes?”

But privately, according to the recordings of the debate prep sessions obtained by ABC News, DeSantis downplayed the comment made by Horowitz, saying it was “stupid” but not racist.

“A lot of the stuff they’re saying isn’t even racist. Like, David Horowitz said that, ‘Oh, Black people should thank white people for ending slavery.’ That’s a stupid comment, but that’s not the same thing,” DeSantis said.

Gaetz cut him off, saying clearly: “You will not win” that argument.

“I’m not gonna get into that,” DeSantis said in agreement. “I know I’m not gonna — I can’t win that, I know.”

“The point is, is that they’re taking things that have nothing to do with me, but they’re also making it way worse than they even actually were, and then trying to paint, you know, paint a narrative. And it’s bull—-” DeSantis said, referring to criticism he was facing at the time over his “monkey it up” comment, his association with Horowitz, and reports that he served as an admin for a racist Facebook group, which he denied.

“All this stuff, I mean is just a bunch of crap, I mean it really is,” DeSantis said on the tape.

During one of the prep sessions, the governor’s wife, Casey, attempted to provide an explanation for the governor’s “monkey it up” comment: that DeSantis had only said “monkey” because he had been reading their daughter’s favorite book, “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed'” to their kids at night.

When Casey asked the room if that explanation would “matter,” Gaetz quickly responded, “Nobody cares.”

“Nobody cares?” Casey, off camera, replied.

“Not even a little,” Gaetz said.

A representative for DeSantis did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

What do the changes in COVID data sharing mean for the US?

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — As the U.S. moves into a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the public health emergency ending May 11, it also signals the end of some COVID data sharing.

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it would be transitioning certain COVID metrics to other sources or discontinue them entirely once the emergency expires.

Additionally, earlier this year, several data trackers — including the John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Survives dashboard — shut down.

Public health experts say that rich data collection has been essential for public health officials and lawmakers to develop and adjust COVID measures, and not having as much data available may limit the ability to track the virus in the future.

“I think the interest in the data has definitely gone down so, in some ways, the CDC is sort of focused on meeting people where they are,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor. “But the concern is always that we should be erring on the side of providing more information and making more data available because, of course, there’s absolutely always the potential for us to be caught flat-footed again, when it comes to COVID.”

He continued, “There’s always that concern that we have not actually improved our ability to monitor these viruses as opposed to sort of going back to where we were pre-pandemic.”

CDC changing COVID-19 surveillance methods

The CDC announced Friday it was changing some of the ways it surveils COVID-19 with the expiration of the emergency.

One of the biggest changes is that the agency will stop sharing data about COVID-19 transmission levels and community levels and is switching to COVID-related hospital admissions as the primary metric to measure virus spread.

During a media call with reporters Thursday, Dr. Nirav Shah, the CDC’s principal deputy director, said since Feb. 2022, the community levels and the hospital admissions have matched up the majority of the time.

Shah said the hospital data will be an early indicator of whether COVID-19 is rising in certain areas and will give public health officials notice of a potential spike.

“We have to recognize the amount of resources that are required to capture some of this data are significant, and so it makes sense that the CDC is going to try to aim to focus on data sources that are a little bit more automated, like hospitalization data,” Brownstein said.

However, he noted that COVID-19-related hospitalizations is a lagging indicator, because people infected with the virus are often not hospitalized for several days — and in some case weeks.

“So, if there’s a new variant, we may not have as much early insight into what’s happening at the community level, based on just focusing on hospital data,” Brownstein said. “The hope is that the results of the pandemic should allow us to improve our ability to monitor, whether it’s COVID or other viruses, in ways that are much more real time.

He added, “So there is a concern that we’re now focusing back on types of data that are less real time and provide us less of an early step in what’s actually happening as far as transmission.

Patchwork of data collection

The CDC said it is ending the community levels and transmission levels because they are reliant on aggregate case data, which is not required to be reported by jurisdictions once the emergency ends.

Experts agree that case data is no longer an accurate metric for COVID-19 due to the lack of people getting tested and, those being tested at-home not always sharing results with health officials.

However, they say it still means another source of data won’t be table to be tracked.

“The idea of having better, more voluminous data that’s more comprehensive on cases, hospitalizations, even infection and deaths in a timely manner for diseases is something that, we’ve really talked about and advocated for a long time,” Dr. Jeff Shaman, a professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, told ABC News.

“We have typically suffered from a lack of that kind of information at the level of granularity and with a level of temporal frequency that really allows us to better understand the diseases, track them, monitor them, forecast and come to a greater understanding of how and why they’re getting around and how we might better control them.”

Shaman said with the various data trackers, it provided a wealth of information that was able to accelerate our understanding of how the pandemic was progressing.

He worries that with jurisdictions not being required to report data to the CDC, there will be a patchwork approach to what data we have from various parts of the country.

“That being peeled away, we’re going to go back to something that’s more piecemeal, that’s more reliant on local fundings and abilities to actually provide the information,” Shaman said. “But we’re going to be moving back to an environment that isn’t as data rich. It’s hard to anticipate exactly what the consequences of that are, but it will make things more difficult.”

After mall shooting, Abbott says ‘mental health crisis’ must be solved; Biden calls for weapons ban

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Texas lawmakers on Sunday reacted to the latest mass shooting in America — at an outdoor mall north of Dallas — by focusing on the importance of mental health treatment and prayer.

In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Gov. Greg Abbott pointed to shootings in other states with stricter gun laws and argued that prioritizing mental health could help prevent more violence.

Eight people were killed and seven others were injured before the suspected gunman was killed by police on Saturday in Allen, Texas, authorities have said.

“What we’ve seen across the United States over the past year or two … is an increased number of shootings in both red states and blue states. Shannon, we’ve seen an increased number of shootings in states with easy gun laws as well as states with very strict gun laws,” Abbott, a Republican, told anchor Shannon Bream on Sunday.

“One thing that we can observe very easily is that there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of anger and violence that’s taking place in America. And what Texas is doing, in a big-time way, we’re working to address that anger and violence by going to its root cause, which is addressing the mental health crisis behind it,” Abbott said.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, sounded a similar note on the same program.

“It’s one of those things that we need to look at. And again, it’s making sure we get at the root problems. And I do agree with the governor: Mental health is one of the things,” Cuellar said.

Mass shootings “happen across the nation, and we have to get to the bottom of this,” he said.

Republican Rep. Keith Self, meanwhile, rebuked gun reform supporters who have lambasted the offering of “thoughts and prayers” that often follow such shootings.

“Those are people that don’t believe in an almighty God who is absolutely in control of our lives. I’m a Christian, I believe that he is. We have people, though, with mental health [problems] that we’re not taking care of,” Self said on CNN on Saturday.

“Prayer is powerful in the lives of those people that are devastated. And I know people want to make this political,” Self said. “But prayers are important, and they are powerful in the families who are devastated right now.”

In a statement, President Joe Biden again called for a ban on assault-style weapons and other legislative changes.

“Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar. And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts,” Biden said. “More than 14,000 of our fellow citizens have lost their lives, credible estimates show. The leading cause of death for American kids is gun violence.”

“We need more action, faster to save lives,” the president said, urging “a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Enacting universal background checks. Requiring safe storage. Ending immunity for gun manufacturers. I will sign it immediately.”

Last year, in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre, Congress broke a decades-long stalemate to pass a bipartisan bill that strengthened background checks, bolstered mental health support and made other changes.

But Democratic priorities like banning assault weapons have little chance of making it to Biden’s desk, as many Republicans argue such restrictions are ineffective and unconstitutional.

Using 14th Amendment to solve debt ceiling would risk ‘constitutional crisis,’ Yellen says

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday said invoking the 14th Amendment to get around the debt ceiling and continue borrowing money to pay the nation’s bills would risk a “constitutional crisis,” downplaying the idea that the amendment would simply solve the looming problem — but she avoided ruling it out entirely.

“What to do if Congress fails to meet its responsibility? There are simply no good options, and the ones that you’ve listed are among the not good options,” Yellen told ABC “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos when pressed on whether the Biden administration was considering using the 14th Amendment, which states that the public debt “shall not be questioned.”

Yellen said on “This Week” that the only way for the U.S. to avoid an unprecedented default as soon as next month is for Congress to pass legislation doing so, even as the White House and congressional Democrats appear to be in a stalemate with Republicans over GOP demands to tie steep spending cuts to raising or suspending the debt ceiling.

Amid that debate, President Joe Biden said on Friday, of trying to use the 14th Amendment as a solution: “I’ve not gotten there yet.”

“But it didn’t seem like he took it off the table. So, is it still a possibility?” Stephanopoulos asked Yellen on Sunday.

“Our priority is to make sure that Congress does its job,” she said. “There is no way to protect our financial system in our economy other than Congress doing its job and raising the debt ceiling and enabling us to pay our bills. And we should not get to the point where we need to consider whether the president can go on issuing debt. This would be a constitutional crisis.”

Stephanopoulos followed up: “Is that a hard and fast position that the president will under no circumstances invoke the 14th Amendment?”

“All I want to say is that it’s Congress’ job to do this. If they fail to do it, we will have an economic and financial catastrophe that will be of our own making, and there is no action that President Biden and the U.S. Treasury can take to prevent that catastrophe,” Yellen replied, later saying, “I don’t want to consider emergency options.”

The treasury secretary echoed the president’s position: that the debt ceiling should not be used as leverage as part of Republicans’ negotiations with the White House over the budget.

“Since 1960, the debt ceiling has been raised 78 times, three times during the prior administration, always with bipartisan support,” Yellen said. “And it simply is unacceptable for Congress to threaten economic calamity for American households and the global financial system as the cost of raising the debt ceiling and getting the agreements on budget priorities.”

Yellen reiterated that she expects the Treasury Department to no longer be able to pay all of its obligations as soon as June 1, a timeline that has jumpstarted negotiations in Washington.

“This would be really the first time in the history of America that we would fail to make payments that are due,” Yellen said. “And whether it’s defaulting on interest payments that are due on the debt or payments due for Social Security recipients or to Medicare providers, we would simply not have enough cash to meet all of our obligations. And it’s widely agreed that financial and economic chaos would ensue.”

Biden is set to meet with the leaders of each chamber of Congress on Tuesday to discuss spending and the debt.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., insists that the president agree to steep budget cuts as a condition of getting GOP support for a debt limit increase. That position is shared by many Republicans on Capitol Hill.

On Saturday, a group of 43 Republican senators signed onto a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that said they would not vote “for cloture on any bill that raises the debt ceiling without substantive spending and budget reforms.”

“It’s entirely reasonable to be able to sit down and say, if we’re continuing to add more and more debt, let’s talk about the whole view,” Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, a signatory of the letter, said Sunday in a separate “This Week” appearance.

Biden, meanwhile, says the debt should be separated from any compromise on the budget and spending.

“I know he wants to set up a process in which spending priorities and levels are discussed and negotiated,” Yellen said on “This Week.” “But these negotiations should not take place with a gun, really, to the head of the American people.”

‘Most stunning part’ of debt ceiling debate is delay in Biden and McCarthy meeting: Lankford

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Sen. James Lankford on Sunday previewed what he would like to see when President Joe Biden meets with Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders on Tuesday to talk about the looming debt ceiling crisis.

“I would hope that they would all sit down and be able to talk about, ‘OK, what are the parameters? Where are we?'” Lankford, R-Okla., told ABC “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos.

“We have $31 trillion in debt. That’s happening as a nation. It’s continuing to accelerate,” Lankford said.” We’re continuing to see high inflation. We have all the risks of a recession that’s out there based on what’s happening on government spending and such.”

Lankford continued: “I would hope they would sit down [on Tuesday] and say: ‘What are the areas that we do have common ground on? What are the areas that we can actually begin to reduce spending?'”

He echoed other Republicans who feel that debt and spending negotiations should have started months ago. Biden and McCarthy last met on the issue in February.

“That’s been the most stunning part about this is: Everyone knew it was coming. It’s time to be able to negotiate it,” Lankford said.

On Saturday, 43 GOP senators, including Lankford, sent a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer saying they won’t back a debt limit increase without “substantive spending and budget reforms.”

That position is at odds with congressional Democrats and the White House who say the nation’s borrowing limit must be raised without preconditions, as it sometimes has in the past.

“I don’t find a single American, whether they’re around government or not around government, that says, ‘The federal government spends every dollar perfectly; there’s nowhere in federal spending we can cut; everything’s very efficient,'” Lankford said Sunday.

“Everyone knows that there’s areas of waste in government,” he said.

Stephanopoulos pressed Lankford on where the GOP would like to see specific spending cuts, given that a recent House proposal they passed remains vague beyond reducing funding for federal agencies to 2022 fiscal year levels and limiting growth in government spending to 1% per year.

“The House bill that they put out was their first parameter,” Lankford responded. “It is the beginning of a negotiation to say the House is well prepared and has been prepared to be able to negotiate this.”

Last week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned in a letter to lawmakers that the country could run out of money to pay all of its bills as soon as June 1, unless the debt ceiling is raised by Congress.

Lankford on Sunday laid the blame with Biden, whom he maintained was slow-walking negotiations with Republicans.

The president has repeatedly said the debt must be dealt with separate from a compromise on spending.

“I know he wants to set up a process in which spending priorities and levels are discussed and negotiated,” Yellen said on Sunday, in a separate “This Week” appearance. “But these negotiations should not take place with a gun, really, to the head of the American people.”

Lankford cast the unique arrangement in the U.S. as a way to enforce fiscal responsibility, though critics of the debt ceiling says it can manufacture economic crises.

“We’re the only one that has a debt limit like this one. The reason we have it is because it forces a moment to be able to talk about debt and deficit and to say, ‘Where are we going on this?'” Lankford said.

He also pushed back on criticism that only conservatives use the debt ceiling to enact budget and spending changes — and he singled out past votes to that effect by then-Sen. Biden.

“These are not moments where there’s this, quote-unquote, always ‘clean’ [limit increase] unless Republicans are negotiating,” Lankford said.

Yellen warned in her interview that “financial and economic chaos would ensue” if lawmakers fail to act, noting a bipartisan history of raising the debt ceiling.

“It simply is unacceptable for Congress to threaten economic calamity for American households in the global financial system as the cost of raising the debt ceiling and getting agreement on budget priorities,” Yellen said.

“We’ve always paid our bills,” Lankford said in his interview, challenging the “calamity” label. “But Democrats and Republicans have both used this moment to be able to look at it and say, ‘Let’s talk about where we’re going, what’s the direction, what’s the future?'”

Lankford was also asked about a political issue: the 2024 Republican primary race. An ABC News/Washington Post poll released on Sunday shows Trump leading Biden in the race for the White House.

“I’ve not endorsed anyone in this race and not going to for quite a while, if I do it all. I didn’t in 2016, either. So I’ll stay out of this, as we’ve got an open seat at this point,” Lankford said. “Clearly, President Trump is leading in all the polls on it. But it’s still early. There are several folks that are unannounced that may announce in the next couple of months.”

Texas mall shooting updates: Alleged massacre suspect identified

May 7, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(ALLEN, Texas) — Nine people died and seven others were injured on Saturday after a gunman opened fire at an outdoor mall north of Dallas, Texas, officials said.

The alleged gunman, who died after a confrontation with police, was among the seven people who were killed at the Allen Premium Outlets, the scene of the shooting, Allen Police Department officials said. Nine additional people were transferred to hospitals, where two later died, officials said. The hospitalized victims’ ages range from 5 to 61 years old, authorities said.

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded at about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday to the outlets in the Dallas suburb, where an active shooter incident had been reported.

“This is a tragedy. People will be looking for answers,” Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said during a press briefing. “We’re sorry that those families are experiencing that loss.”

Aerial footage from the scene showed shoppers being evacuated from the stores, many with their arms raised in the air.

None of the victims’ names have been released. Information about the suspect has not been released publicly.

ABC News’ Izzy Alvarez contributed to this report.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.

May 07, 3:33 PM EDT
Alleged shooter ID’d in deadly Texas mall rampage

The suspect in the Allen, Texas, mall mass shooting was identified Sunday as Mauricio Garcia, according to law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation.

The 33-year-old Garcia was fatally shot by a police officer who rushed to the gunfire and confronted him at the outlet mall on Saturday afternoon, police said.

The Texas Department of Public Safety, which is leading the investigation, was searching Mauricio’s home and vehicle on Sunday. The agency declined to comment further on Garcia and said the motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

President Joe Biden said the assailant was dressed in tactical gear and armed with an AR-15-style assault weapon he used to gun down eight people and injure at least nine others.

May 07, 2:43 PM EDT
3 people wounded in attack remain in critical condition: Police

At least three people wounded in a mass shooting at an Allen, Texas, outlet mall remained in critical condition on Sunday, according to police.

Four victims were taken to Medical City McKinney, a trauma center in McKinney, Texas, about seven miles from Allen. Three of the patients were in critical condition and one was listed in fair condition, according to a statement Sunday from the Allen Police Department.

Eight victims were killed in the attack and a total of nine people were injured, police said. The shooter, whose name has not been released by police, was confronted and fatally shot by a police officer.

Among the injured, one patient was transferred from Medical City McKinney to Medical City Plano and was in fair condition. Another patient was transferred to Medical City Children’s Hospital in fair condition, police said.

“We are a strong and caring community and we want all of the victims and their families impacted by this tragedy to know that we will wrap our arms around you, and we are here for you,” Allen Mayor Kenneth M. Fulk said in a statement released Sunday. “The City of Allen pledges to offer our complete support. We know you are grieving, we are grieving. Rest assured, the nation and the world are also grieving.”

May 07, 2:40 PM EDT
Biden calls on Congress to pass assault weapons ban

President Joe Biden is renewing his call for Congress to pass an assault weapons ban following Saturday’s mass shooting at a Texas outlet mall.

“Yesterday, an assailant in tactical gear armed with an AR-15 style assault weapon gunned down innocent people in a shopping mall, and not for the first time. Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar,” Biden said in a statement released Sunday.

“And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts. More than 14,000 of our fellow citizens have lost their lives, credible estimates show. The leading cause of death for American kids is gun violence,” Biden said.

Biden argued that “some progress” has been made as a result of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and his various executive actions, but blasted GOP lawmakers, saying, they “cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug. Tweeted thoughts and prayers are not enough.”

“Once again, I ask Congress to send me a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Enacting universal background checks. Requiring safe storage. Ending immunity for gun manufacturers. I will sign it immediately. We need nothing less to keep our streets safe.”

May 07, 12:03 PM EDT
Abbott says mall shooting underscores need to address mental health issues

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he plans to visit Allen, Texas, on Sunday afternoon as he argued in a TV interview that the mass shooting at an outlet mall there underscores the need to focus on addressing mental health issues.

“Texans are hurting today. And the people who are hurting the most obviously are the families of the victims, the families of lost loved ones, families who have a loved one who is injured and our main priority right now is to help and support those families in the Allen community,” Abbott said on Fox News Sunday.

He said he is going to Allen on Sunday “to begin the process of providing hope and healing.”

“But I can tell you there are questions that are lingering that the families want answers to. And that is why this happened? Why did that gunman do this? How did this happen? And I know that those families need answers as quickly as possible,” said Abbott, who praised the quick response of police in confronting the shooter and killing him.

Abbott was asked about new polling that shows strong support for background checks for gun purchases, increasing the legal age to buy a gun to 21 and requiring mental health checks for purchases. The governor said his state is also looking at legislation to address “easy solutions” to get guns out of the hands of criminals.

But overall, Abbott argued, the focus should be on the “long term solution” of addressing mental health.

May 07, 11:23 AM EDT
Domestic terrorism probed in Texas outlet mall massacre

As authorities work to determine a motive for the outlet mall shooting in Allen, Texas, one avenue investigators are exploring is whether this was an act of domestic terrorism, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News.

The shooter wore patches or stickers on his clothing that raised suspicion he may have gravitated toward right-wing extremism, the sources said, though they added no motive has yet been established.

Federal agents were seen at a home in the Dallas area believed to be associated with the shooter, ABC Dallas affiliate station WFAA reported.

Federal investigators are already going through the suspect’s electronic devices and social media as they work to understand what led to the killing rampage, the sources said.

In addition to a rifle used in the shooting, sources said investigators recovered additional firearms in a vehicle associated with the shooter.

The Texas Rangers are the lead agency on the case with assistance from the FBI, ATF and Allen police.

May 07, 11:08 AM EDT
‘I got him down’: officer who apparently killed Texas shooter says in radio transmission

Police radio dispatches from the Allen, Texas, mall shooting Saturday captured the chaotic moments as the massacre unfolded, including an officer who apparently confronted the killer, calling for backup before reporting, “I got him down.”

“We got shots fired at the Allen Mall,” an officer is heard saying in the radio dispatches, according to the Broadcastify, which records emergency transmissions.

A police officer was at the Allen Premium Outlets when the shooting erupted around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, raced to the gunfire and fatally shot the suspect, Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said at a news conference on Saturday.

“We got people running,” the officer on the scene radioed to a police dispatcher. “I need everybody I got.”

A short time later, the officer radioed, “I got him down,” referring to the gunman, who police have yet to identify.

May 06, 11:46 PM EDT
Shopper says she ‘hunkered down’ amid shooting

A woman was shopping when she says the shooting began and described how people began to flee for safety.

Elaine Penicaro said in an interview that she was finishing up her shopping when she heard “popping” noises and began to realize how dire the situation was.

“We saw sparks flying like it was right in front of us. So we just ran into the Converse store. They locked the door. We all hunkered down in the back. And that’s where we stayed,” she said.

Penicaro said she heard the police arrive within five to 10 minutes.

May 06, 11:13 PM EDT
Vigil planned for Sunday

A vigil will be held Sunday afternoon in the aftermath of the deadly shooting.

State Rep. Jeff Leach said that a vigil was planned for 5 p.m. at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church. He made the announcement during a briefing Saturday evening.

“This community is home for us and our hearts are devastated and broken tonight no law enforcement official no elected official Ever imagines or plans to or hopes to speak in front of a press conference like this,” Leach said.

May 06, 11:01 PM EDT
Mayor calls shooting a ‘tragic day’

Ken Fulk, the mayor of Allen, called the shooting a tragic day for the community and extended his sympathies. Fulk, who was elected in 2020, also pledged his support.

“Today is a tragic day for the city of Allen, our citizens, our friends and visitors who were at the Allen Premium Outlets today. We are a strong and caring community and we all want the victims and their families impacted by this tragedy to know that we will wrap our arms around you. And we are here for you,” he said.

May 06, 10:47 PM EDT
Shooter killed at the scene

The shooter was killed at the scene, police said.

Allen Police Department Chief Brian Harvey said at a press briefing that an officer was at Allen Premium Outlets on an unrelated call when he heard gunshots and located the shooter who was then “neutralized.”

“We are asking for the public’s help if you are a witness,” Harvey said.

Texas mall shooting updates: Domestic terrorism probed as possible motive