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5 Texas officers on-site at Uvalde school referred to inspector general; 2 so far suspended with pay: DPS

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(UVALDE, Texas) — The action or inaction of five Texas Department of Public Safety officers on-site at Robb Elementary School on May 24 has been referred to the Texas inspector general to determine what, if any, discipline is warranted and whether a criminal referral to the DA should be made, the DPS communications chief told ABC News Tuesday.

Two of the five officers have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the inspector general’s investigation, Texas DPS spokesman Travis Considine told ABC News.

DPS Director Steve McCraw ordered a top-to-bottom review of what his officers did and did not do during the deadly Uvalde elementary school shooting. The special state legislative investigation found that there were DPS personnel on-site among the federal, state and local law enforcement officers who did not take action to stop the massacre for more than an hour.

That internal review is now done, Considine said. The agency has referred the actions/inactions of five DPS officers to the state inspector general, who will now conduct an investigation to determine what — if any — discipline should be forthcoming. The inspector general can also refer its findings to the district attorney in Uvalde, who continues to conduct a criminal probe of the school shooting.

Even if the inspector general decides against taking action, McCraw has the authority to issue internal disciplinary measures to those officers. The five officers are not being identified and their ranks are not being released, Considine said.

Meanwhile, McCraw has issued two new orders that will radically change the way police procedure is handled in Texas in the wake of the school shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.

Uvalde:365 is a continuing ABC News series reported from Uvalde and focused on the Texas community and how it forges on in the shadow of tragedy.

Under one, once an “active shooter” is declared at a school, the situation cannot be treated as anything else by Texas DPS personnel — troopers and Rangers — until the shooter or shooters are neutralized.

Under the other order, all DPS personnel are ordered from now on to override any other law enforcement officers who are standing in the way of taking active measures to neutralize a school shooter.

The police response took nearly 77 minutes to confront and kill the 18-year-old gunman and was plagued with failures, a state report issued by a special committee in the Texas Legislature found. Among them, the report found that school district police chief Pete Arredondo “failed to perform or to transfer to another person the role of incident commander.”

Arredondo was fired last month as the community has continued to call for accountability following the deadly school shooting. The former chief pushed back that he was “forced into the role of the ‘fall guy'” despite taking “all reasonable actions.”

Texas says it spent over $12 million to bus migrants to sanctuary cities

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Texas says it spent over million to bus migrants to sanctuary cities

(AUSTIN, Texas) — Texas has spent over $12 million as of mid-August in busing migrants to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, a spokesperson for the Texas Division of Emergency Management told ABC News.

The state agency utilizes a contract to charter the buses, which include private security, the spokesperson said.

Abbott has sparred with the Democratic mayors of the three cities, who have accused him of using immigrants as pawns in his political agenda. The governor began the busing program after the Biden administration overturned a pandemic-era order restricting migrant entry numbers to the U.S.

Chicago became the latest city to unknowingly receive migrants as of last Wednesday. Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for unity in the situation and slammed the busings as “inhumane” and “not the Christianity and the teachings of the Bible that I know.”

“My frustration comes from the actions of the governor of Texas,” Lightfoot said at a press conference held Sunday following the arrival of another bus of migrants. “There could be a level of coordination and cooperation but he chooses to do none of those things and instead tries to send human beings…not cargo, not freight, but human beings across the country,” she added.

A spokesperson for Abbott said Chicago has received over 150 migrants on 3 buses so far from Texas. Abbott has no plans to stop anytime soon, the spokesperson said, calling on Mayor Lightfoot to take it up with President Joe Biden.

“Attacking the Governor’s commitment to his faith is a pathetic political ploy to change the conversation away from Mayor Lightfoot’s unwillingness to uphold her city’s self-declared sanctuary status,” Abbott’s press secretary Renae Eze said in a statement provided to ABC News. “Where was Mayor Lightfoot’s outrage and condemnation of President Biden as he flew plane loads of migrants across the country and dropped them in communities in the cover of night?”

The statement added, “Instead of lowly personal attacks on the Governor and complaining about a few dozen migrants being bused into her sanctuary city, Mayor Lightfoot should call on President Biden to take immediate action to secure the border—something the President continues failing to do.”

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki in April told reporters the migrants on the buses are processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and “are free to travel.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams called Abbott’s actions “the worst type of politics” in an interview with “Nightline” last month.

“It’s hateful politics to raise his national profile and, you know what, you should not be doing it by taking away the respect and dignity of people who are in need,” Adams said.

Abbott responded by calling Adams a “hypocrite” because “New York City is a self-declared ‘sanctuary city.'”

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser was denied a request last month from the Pentagon for help from the National Guard in dealing with the crisis.

Black and Hispanic Americans are less likely to receive monkeypox vaccines: CDC

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Black and Hispanic Americans make up the majority of monkeypox cases in the United States but are underrepresented when it comes to vaccine distribution.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Aug. 31, people of color make up more than two-thirds of reported cases in the nation with 29% of cases reported among Hispanics and 37.8% reported among Black people.

However, the share of monkeypox vaccines that minorities have received tells a different story. Only 22.1% of first doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine have been administered to Hispanic Americans and 10.4% have been given to Black Americans, data from the CDC shows.

Comparatively, white and Asian Americans make up 27.4% and 2.9% of cases, respectively, and have received 44.2% and 7.6%, respectively, of monkeypox vaccine first doses.

“Unfortunately, it’s not that surprising,” said Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, an ABC News contributor and an associate professor of dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania — who has treated monkeypox patients. “History kind of repeats itself. We see heath disparities across so many aspects of medicine and to think that this wouldn’t be one of them is a little naïve.”

He added, “I mean we saw it with COVID. It speaks to the fact that we have a lot of work to do to meet people where they are.”

Similar trends in racial/ethnic disparities can be seen on a city level.

In Philadelphia, Black or African American residents make up 55% of all monkeypox cases but just 24% of vaccinations, city data shows. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 16% of all cases but 12% of vaccinations.

Meanwhile, white Philadelphians make up 24% of cases but have received 56% of first doses.

Similarly, in New York City, as of Sep.1, Hispanics account for 32.7% of monkeypox infections and Black people account for 26.3% of infections. However, Hispanic residents have only received 23.3% of vaccine doses and Black residents have received 12.0%. according to data from the city’s Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

By comparison, 24.2% of monkeypox infections in the Big Apple are among white residents but this population has received 45.5% of available first vaccine doses.

“The problem with infectious diseases is they often get a head start on attacking our communities before even a lot of people are aware,” Abdelmalek said. “So, these viruses already have a head start and then when you put into the equation, the fact that there might be certain populations like Black and Hispanic that have less access to medicine, the gap becomes even wider.”

Abdelmalek said a few ways to narrow these gaps include the medical community partnering with local businesses to get the word out about populations at-risk and vaccines and making sure social media platforms have messages that are targeted at traditionally underserved communities.

He also recommends people reach out and ask their doctor if they are eligible for the monkeypox vaccine and, if so, how they can receive.

“We should encourage [people] that you’re not bothering your doctor by calling them and asking them about could you get the vaccine,” Abdelmalek said. “Especially if you’re part of an underserved population. You can be empowered to call your doctor and advocate for yourself.”

Primary day in Massachusetts sees key GOP race, while Dem candidate could make history

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Tuesday is primary day in Massachusetts, where attention turns to the GOP gubernatorial race between a Donald Trump-backed hopeful and a more “pragmatic” politician as Republicans aim to keep control of the executive office. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET.

With state Attorney General Maura Healey now the presumptive Democratic nominee after clearing the field in her primary, all eyes are on who will face her. Former state Rep. Geoff Diehl, who has the support of Trump, is going up against businessman and political newcomer Chris Doughty for the Republican nomination.

Diehl won the state party’s endorsement earlier this year and has positioned himself as the more conservative choice as well as focusing on issues like infrastructure, expanding housing options and supporting law enforcement. He also cast doubts on the 2020 presidential election, opposed COVID-19 mandates and supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Diehl previously ran against Elizabeth Warren in the 2018 Senate race but lost by 24%.

Meanwhile, Doughty has focused on three main areas throughout the primary season: lowering taxes, keeping the statehouse balanced and making Massachusetts more affordable for people to live in. He has described himself as both a “moderate” and as “pragmatic, common sense [and] … fiscally conservative.”

Even though Massachusetts is considered a Democratic stronghold in many ways — it hasn’t voted for a Republican president in nearly 30 years — the state has a long history of electing GOP governors, including an unbroken 16-year stretch from 1991-2007.

The incumbent, Charlie Baker, is widely popular in the state but decided not to seek a third term and has not endorsed either candidate in Tuesday’s primary.

After primaries in Illinois and Maryland, the race is the latest example of Republican voters in blue states having to choose between two different types of conservatives as they hope to either retain control of the governorship or retake it after the last election.

Whoever wins the GOP primary, history could be made in Massachusetts if Healey is victorious in November. If she wins, Healey would be Massachusetts’ first elected female governor and first openly gay governor.

Teen curfew being enforced in DC-area county in response to ‘troubling’ rise in arrests

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md.) — Officials in one Maryland county said they are going to temporarily enforce a state curfew for teens amid a “troubling” increase in juvenile arrests.

Prince George’s County police officers have arrested an “eye-popping” 430 juveniles so far this year — more than double the number from this time last year, county executive Angela Alsobrooks told reporters during a press briefing Monday.

Carjacking is one area of particular concern, officials said. Eighty-four juveniles have been arrested for carjackings this year, half of whom were under the age of 15, she said. Among the 84 arrested, 34 had prior arrests for a violent crime or gun offense, she said.

“At this point, these kids don’t just need a hug, they also need to be held accountable,” Alsobrooks said. “I know this isn’t the popular thing to say, but the truth of the matter is, it’s a fair question: Where are their parents? Where are the aunties? Where are the uncles and other family members who are responsible for them?”

Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz called the number of juvenile arrests “shocking” and a “significant” jump from last year.

“The vast number of juveniles are out doing the right thing and living a meaningful and positive life in Prince George’s County,” he said during Monday’s press briefing, calling those who are committing crimes “outliers.”

“We can’t arrest our way out of this,” he added.

The curfew was last strongly enforced in 1995, though Alsobrooks said they “feel that the facts and circumstances warrant doing so again.”

The state law requires teens under 17 to be off the streets between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between 11:59 p.m. and 5 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, unless accompanied by an adult or if an exception applies, Alsobrooks said.

The county, which is located in the greater Washington, D.C., area, will begin stricter enforcement of the law starting this weekend for at least 30 days, Alsobrooks said. Parents will receive a warning for the first offense, though repeated offenses could see fines up to $250 and children could be released to the Department of Social Services if parents fail to respond, she said.

“Simply put, the enforcement of this law is to protect our children,” Alsobrooks said. “Children 17 years old and younger are not legally responsible for themselves. Neither are police. Their parents are responsible and their families are responsible for keeping them safe. We need everyone working to protect our children.”

Alsobrooks said she sees the curfew as one part of a “toolbox” to keep the community safe, alongside mental health services at schools and a summer youth enrichment program.

The county executive said she is seeking an emergency meeting with the Department of Juvenile Services and will continue to work with the court system to understand “how these kids are being held accountable.”

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy, who was not present at the briefing, defended her office’s record on convictions at a later news conference.

“We absolutely hold people accountable for serious crimes,” Braveboy said Monday, calling the number of juveniles committing carjackings “outrageous,” according to Washington, D.C., radio station WTOP.

Officials in Philadelphia have also implemented a modified curfew for minors in recent weeks in an attempt to keep young people off the streets and safe during a high-crime season. Through Sept. 29, those between the ages of 14 and 17 are required to be home by 10 p.m. Previously, the latest some teenagers were able to be out was midnight. Those under 13 are required to be home by 9:30 p.m.

For those found violating the curfew, Philadelphia police will attempt to reunite them with their families at home or a precinct or bring them to one of several community centers that have been established during the curfew.

3 hikers die in incidents in Utah, Arizona over holiday weekend

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) — Three hikers died and several were injured over the holiday weekend in Arizona and Utah. Several hikers in Arizona suffered heat exhaustion as excessive heat gripped the West Coast.

A hiker in their 20s died and five others suffered heat emergencies while hiking a trail in Cave Creek, Arizona, Wednesday after running out of water and getting lost on the trails, according to the Scottsdale Fire Department.

The hikers, who were all locals, were removed from the trails by helicopter after emergency responders discovered they were about 4.5 miles from the trailhead, a representative from the fire department told ABC News.

The hiker who died was taken to a local hospital where he died due to heat stroke. The five injured hikers were given fluids and treated on the scene for about an hour before being cleared, according to the fire department.

Also in Arizona, a backpacker was reported dead in Grand Canyon National Park Sunday at around 7:30 p.m. local time. The backpacker has been identified as 59-year-old Delphine Martinez, who was on a multi-day trip, according to the National Park Service.

Martinez was hiking down the Thunder River Trail on Sunday when she became disoriented and later unconscious. Trip members tried to resuscitate Martinez, but were unsuccessful, according to NPS. NPS and the Coconino County Medical Examiner are investigating Martinez’s death and have not released any additional information.

According to the National Park Service, temperatures in the inner canyon were over 100 degrees, with the high temperature at Phantom Ranch around 115 degrees. Park rangers at Grand Canyon National Park advised visitors against hiking in the inner canyon during the heat of the day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., saying the heat can cause “serious health risks including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyponatremia and death,” according to the National Park Service.

Separately, a 45-year-old hiker in Utah fell to their death Saturday after going missing while climbing near the mouth of the American Fork Canyon, the Utah County Sheriff’s office said in a statement.

The man, identified as Thomas James Rawe, texted a friend asking him to pick him up near the canyon in 45 minutes. Rawe was hiking or climbing in the area and was on his way down. He sent a picture showing the the steep terrain and the fee booth where the two were supposed to meet up.

At the agreed upon time, the friend arrived and Rawe did not. Rawe had said his phone battery was at 1%, so the friend was not initially surprised to not hear from Rawe, according to the sheriff’s office.

At around 9 p.m. local time, deputies with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man missing while climbing near the canyon. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team responded and searched for a couple of hours, but because the terrain is dangerous, they called off the operation for the night. They returned early Sunday morning and called for assistance from the Utah Department of Public Safety and one of their helicopters, according to the sheriff’s office.

A helicopter crew member found what they suspected was the body of Rawe on a very steep, rocky slope, shortly after arriving. A Search and Rescue team member was then flown to the area to confirm the body was Rawe and that he was dead. Another volunteer was then flown to the area to secure the body from falling further down the mountain before it was prepared and hoisted to a nearby parking lot by the DPS helicopter crew, according to officials.

While officials are unsure what caused the fall, they said it is likely he “lost his footing or stumbled, then fell and tumbled several hundred feet down the steep slope.”

News anchor’s medical scare on live TV raises awareness of women’s risk of stroke

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(TULSA, Okla.) — An Oklahoma news anchor and a TV actress are raising awareness about women’s stroke risk at any age by sharing their own experiences.

Julie Chin, an anchor for Tulsa, Oklahoma, NBC affiliate KJRH, was anchoring a live broadcast on Sept. 3, when she began to experience difficulty speaking.

“I’m sorry,” Chin said, interrupting the broadcast to throw it to the station’s meteorologist. “Something is going on with me this morning and I apologize to everybody.”

Chin later shared an update on Facebook, writing that her doctors believe she suffered the “beginnings of a stroke” while on the air.

“The episode seemed to have come out of nowhere. I felt great before our show. However, over the course of several minutes during our newscast, things started to happen,” she wrote. “First, I lost partial vision in one eye. A little bit later my hand and arm went numb. Then, I knew I was in big trouble when my mouth would not speak the words that were right in front of me on the teleprompter. If you were watching Saturday morning, you know how desperately I tried to steer the show forward, but the words just wouldn’t come.”

Chin wrote that her coworkers called 911, and she was hospitalized for several days while undergoing multiple medical tests.

“There are still lots of questions, and lots to follow up on, but the bottom line is I should be just fine,” she wrote, adding, *Most importantly* I’ve learned that it’s not always obvious when someone has a stroke, and action is critical. This acronym helps identify the symptoms to look for: BE FAST and then if needed, be fast and call 911.”

“BE FAST” is a version of the acronym “FAST,” which is intended to help people remember the different signs of a stroke and what to look for, according to the American Stroke Association. It stands for “face drooping” or numbness of the face; “arm weakness” or numbness of the arms or legs on one side of the body; “speech difficulty” or slurred speech; and “time to call 911,” which reminds people to act quickly if you — or someone else — are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms.

“NCIS” star Pauley Perrette also revealed recently that she nearly died from a “massive stroke” a year ago at the age of 52.

Perrette, now 53, took to Twitter on Sept. 2 to share an update on her recovery.

“I feel good. Been through a lot in the last two years, things that are harder than having a stroke … but I am still here,” said Perrette, who suffered the stroke not long after she lost her father to COVID-19.

The actress told ABC News she had one of the major warning signs of stroke — numbness in half of her body — but that she was not aware that it was a warning sign.

In addition to sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, other warning signs of a stroke include facial drooping, vision changes, dizziness or loss of balance and difficulty speaking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death for women in the United States. One in 5 women between the ages of 55 and 75 will have a stroke, according to the CDC.

“Women need to be aware of this. Women of all ages need to be aware of this,” ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said Tuesday on “Good Morning America.” “This isn’t just something that happens to men and older men.”

Ashton said that for both men and women, common risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes. Women have other risk factors, including hormones.

“Any hormonal state — being pregnant, taking birth control pills, taking hormone replacement therapy, we call it a class effect. It increases the risk of clotting,” said Ashton. “That doesn’t mean we don’t use those medications. That doesn’t mean women avoid pregnancy to avoid stroke, in most cases, but you need to know.”

The highest rates for stroke remain among older populations, and women generally live longer than men, but over the past several decades the stroke rates for younger adults have increased by more than 40%, according to the American Heart Association.

Signs of a stroke can develop quickly over hours and even days, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Symptoms can also depend on the type of stroke and the area of the brain that’s affected, the institute also reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 4 in 5 strokes are preventable in women. Ashton said that women can prevent strokes or lower risk factors by creating healthy habits.

“If you smoke, do everything in your power to quit,” said Ashton. “You want to control your blood pressure, know what both of your numbers are and control it in a safe range and then [maintain a] healthy lifestyle — moderate or no use of alcohol, exercise and eating well, they are massively important.”

Juul agrees to pay $438.5 million settlement over marketing to teens

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Juul agrees to pay 8.5 million settlement over marketing to teens

(NEW YORK) — Juul agreed to pay nearly half a billion dollars Tuesday as part of a settlement with 34 states over the way it marketed its vaping products.

The $438.5 million agreement in principle with Juul Labs resolves a two-year investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices. In addition to the financial terms, the settlement would force Juul to comply with a series of strict injunctive terms severely limiting its marketing and sales practices.

The company also misrepresented that its product was a smoking cessation device without U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to make such claims, according to the investigation.

While traditional cigarette use has plummeted among youth, vaping is skyrocketing, undermining national progress toward reducing tobacco use. The National Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in 2019 that more than 5 million youth reported having used e-cigarettes within the past 30 days, up from 3.6 million just one year prior.

The FDA removed Juul products from the U.S. market earlier this year.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, one of those states in the settlement, said Juul became the dominant player in the vape market “by willfully engaging in an advertising campaign that appealed to youth, even though its e-cigarettes are both illegal for them to purchase and are unhealthy for youth to use.”

The investigation found that Juul relentlessly marketed to underage users with launch parties, advertisements using young and trendy-looking models, social media posts and free samples. It marketed a technology-focused, sleek design that could be easily concealed and sold its product in flavors known to be attractive to underage users. Juul also manipulated the chemical composition of its product to make the vapor less harsh on the throats of the young and inexperienced users, according to the investigators.

To preserve its young customer base, Juul relied on age-verification techniques that it knew were ineffective, Tong said.

The investigation further revealed that Juul’s original packaging was misleading in that it did not clearly disclose that it contained nicotine and implied that it contained a lower concentration of nicotine than it actually did. Consumers were also led to believe that consuming one Juul pod was the equivalent of smoking one pack of combustible cigarettes.

Names of 10 people killed in floatplane crash released after search suspended

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash.) — The names of 10 people who perished after a floatplane crashed in Washington’s Puget Sound were released on Tuesday, a day after a search for nine of the victims was suspended, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard called off the search around noon local time on Sunday after conducting 26 search sorties it said covered about 2,100 square nautical miles.

“The Coast Guard offers its deepest sympathies to those who lost a loved one in this tragedy,” Coast Guard Cmdr. Xochitl Castaneda, the search and rescue mission coordinator for this incident, said in a statement Tuesday morning.

Those presumed dead from the crash were identified by the Coast Guard as Jason Winters, the pilot of the aircraft, and passengers Patricia Hicks, Sandra Williams, Lauren Hilty, Ross Mickel, Luke Ludwig, Rebecca Ludwig, Joanne Mera and Gabrielle Hanna. Also killed was a child, identified as Remy Mickel, according to the Coast Guard.

The body of only one person aboard the aircraft was recovered, but the Coast Guard did not say which of the victims the remains were identified as belonging to.

The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation into the accident.

Capt. Daniel Broadhurst, the incident management branch chief for the 13th Coast Guard District, described the agonizing decision to end the search after no signs were found of the remaining nine victims or wreckage from the aircraft.

“It is always difficult when it comes time to make a decision to stop searching,” Broadhurst said in a statement Sunday. “The hearts of all the first responders go out to those who lost a family member, a loved one or a friend in the crash.”

The de Havilland DHC-3 Otter float plane crashed in Mutiny Bay off Whidbey Island around 3:10 p.m. local time Sunday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

There were 10 people onboard, nine adults and one child, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

At the time the search was suspended, rescue crews were focusing on Mutiny Bay, west of Whidbey Island, according to the Coast Guard.

“The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate,” the FAA said. “The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide additional updates.”

The NTSB said on Twitter Monday that it is sending a seven-member team to investigate the crash.

The plane was traveling from Friday Harbor on San Juan Island to Renton Municipal Airport near Seattle when it crashed, the USCG said, with the cause of the crash unknown at this time. The Coast Guard had initially said the plane was traveling from Friday Harbor to Seattle Tacoma International Airport, which it later corrected.

The Coast Guard responded to a report of the crash that was initially said to have eight adults and one child onboard, according to USCG Pacific Northwest. The USCG later corrected its statement, saying there were 10 people unaccounted for in the crash.

South Whidbey Fire/EMS said that its crew was at the scene near the west side of Whidbey Island.

ABC News’ Jenna Harrison, Marilyn Heck, Teddy Grant and Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.

Liz Truss becomes UK prime minister after Boris Johnson’s resignation

September 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Liz Truss became the prime minister of the United Kingdom on Tuesday, shortly after Boris Johnson formally resigned.

Johnson, who had announced his intention to resign two months ago, formally stepped down during an audience with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Tuesday morning. A short time later, Truss had her own audience with the 96-year-old queen and was formally asked to form a new government, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. It was the first time in the queen’s 70-year reign that the ceremonial transfer of power was held at Balmoral, where she is vacationing, rather than at Buckingham Palace in London.

Truss, 47, took office a day after the ruling Conservative Party selected her as its new leader, putting her in line to be confirmed as the U.K. prime minister without the need for a general election because the Conservatives wield a majority in the House of Commons. In a speech following her victory on Monday, Truss said it was an “honor” to be chosen and paid tribute to Johnson, her “friend.”

She is the U.K.’s fourth prime minister since 2016 and the country’s third female premier ever.

In her first speech from the steps of 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s official residence, Truss once again praised her predecessor as a “hugely consequential prime minister.”

“I’m honored to take on this responsibility at a vital time for our country,” she said, adding that she was “determined to deliver.”

Truss said her three priorities were economic growth, tackling the energy crisis “caused by Putin’s war,” and improving the National Health Service.

Truss previously served in Johnson’s cabinet as the foreign secretary along with Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor of the exchequer whose resignation helped bring about Johnson’s downfall earlier this year.

She ran against Rishi Sunak in the Conservative Party’s leadership election, in which only the 172,000 dues-paying members were allowed to vote. The party’s members cast their votes after eight weeks of campaigning, with Truss — a supporter of Johnson who said she did not back his resignation — emerging as the overwhelming favorite.

The campaign was dominated by questions about what either candidate would do to tackle a looming economic crisis, with household energy bills set to skyrocket this winter and inflation — already reaching a four-decade high at 10.1% — expected to rise even further, according to the Bank of England. Truss and Sunak clashed most fiercely on the issue of tax, with Truss saying she would not raise taxes while Sunak has supported a windfall tax on energy companies’ profits to help ease the burden on households.

Truss has promised action on the energy crisis within a week of taking office, though she has not spelled out her plans in any detail and refused to elaborate when questioned by BBC News on Sunday. She is expected to unveil her plan on Thursday.

Truss will also have the task of uniting a divided Conservative Party. Johnson’s tenure in office was dogged by scandal, most notably with the issue of “Partygate,” or the illegal gatherings held at government residences while the U.K. was under a strict lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. While Johnson’s supporters will remember him for securing a huge election victory, Brexit and support for Ukraine, Johnson’s detractors say his conduct and flexible relationship with the truth damaged the Conservative Party’s brand.

In an op-ed published by The Sunday Telegraph over the weekend, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, said that the appointment of a fourth Conservative prime minister in recent years did not mark a “new dawn” for Britain.

“As summer turns to autumn, the shadows of crisis are lengthening, looming over the whole country,” Starmer wrote. “There is no sign that either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss have grasped the scale of what is facing us, let alone possesses the answers to it.”

In July, Johnson announced that he had agreed to resign as leader of the Conservative Party, which resulted in his departure as prime minister once the party selected a successor through the leadership election.

“It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister,” Johnson said in a July 7 statement delivered outside his office at no. 10 Downing Street in London.

“I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world,” he added. “But them’s the breaks.”

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