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Florida governor suspends local prosecutor who said he won’t criminalize abortion

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended Tampa’s top prosecutor over public statements he made indicating he would not criminalize abortion.

DeSantis announced Thursday that he has suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, effective immediately, due to neglect of duty, saying during a press briefing that Warren has “put himself publicly above the law.”

The Republican governor cited a statement Warren signed along with other elected prosecutors nationwide after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which stated in part that “we stand together in our firm belief that prosecutors have a responsibility to refrain from using limited criminal legal system resources to criminalize personal medical decisions.”

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, abortions after 15 weeks are barred in Florida, with exceptions if the pregnancy poses a risk to the mother’s life and if the fetus has a fatal anomaly. Doctors who violate the law could face up to five years in prison.

“That is what the legislature has enacted, and it’s not for him to put himself above that and say that he is not going to enforce the laws,” DeSantis said about Warren.

“When you flagrantly violate your oath of office, when you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty, you have neglected your duty and you are displaying a lack of competence to be able to perform those duties,” DeSantis continued.

The governor named Susan Lopez, a judge he appointed to the Hillsborough County Court, to replace Warren and serve as temporary state attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit.

Warren, a Democrat, was twice elected to the county seat, most recently in 2020.

DeSantis said the suspension follows a statewide review of state attorneys that narrowed in on Warren’s office. The governor said he did not speak with Warren throughout that process.

Warren called the governor’s actions an “illegal overreach that continues a dangerous pattern by Ron DeSantis of using his office to further his own political ambition.”

“It spits in the face of the voters of Hillsborough County who have twice elected me to serve them, not Ron DeSantis,” he said in a statement.

Warren also defended his work as a state attorney in the face of what he said was a violation of his constituents’ rights.

“In our community, crime is low, our Constitutional rights — including the right to privacy — are being upheld, and the people have the right to elect their own leaders — not have them dictated by an aspiring presidential candidate who has shown time and again he feels accountable to no one,” he said. “Just because the governor violates your rights, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

While outlining Warren’s “troubling record” as state prosecutor during Thursday’s press briefing, DeSantis also referenced a letter Warren signed last year condemning the criminalization of gender-affirming health care.

“In June of 2021, he signed a letter saying that he would not enforce any prohibitions on sex change operations for minors,” DeSantis said.

Florida currently does not have any laws that criminalize gender-affirming health care, which the order suspending Warren for “neglect of duty” acknowledges.

“[Although] the Florida Legislature has not enacted such criminal laws, these statements prove that Warren thinks he has authority to defy the Florida Legislature and nullify in his jurisdiction criminal laws with which he disagrees,” the order states.

The suspension is in effect pending further action from the governor.

Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., who is running for governor, criticized the suspension of the elected official.

“DeSantis’ decision to suspend him is that of a wannabe dictator who puts partisan politics first. Make no mistake, it’s an attack on Florida’s women,” he said on Twitter.

Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., whose jurisdiction includes Hillsborough County, called the governor’s actions an “extreme abuse of power” and a “new low.”

“Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren is an honest public servant who respects the Florida Constitution [including] our right to privacy which allows girls and women to determine their pathways in life,” she said on Twitter. “He is right to exercise discretion and not prosecute women and doctors.”

Several law enforcement officials spoke during the briefing in support of the suspension, expressing frustration with the prosecutor, who has been vocal on criminal justice reform issues.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said Warren “seems intently focused on empathy for criminals and less interested in pursuing justice for crime victims.”

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said during the briefing that the state constitution requires that DeSantis ensure the state’s laws are being enforced.

Why are conservatives welcoming Hungary’s divisive Viktor Orban at CPAC?

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(DALLAS) — Fresh off a meeting with Donald Trump and facing criticism for his comments on “mixed-race” nations, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban was welcomed by conservatives at their annual convention this week.

Orban kicked off the Conservative Political Action Conference, also known as CPAC, in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday afternoon, with a speech titled, “How We Fight.”

“My country, Hungary, is the Lone Star State of Europe,” Orban said, introducing himself as an “old-fashioned freedom fighter.”

In the 30-minute speech, which was met with a standing ovation, Orban railed against the “leftist media” and progressive liberals as he called for conservatives to be “brave enough to address even the most sensitive questions: migration, gender and the clash of civilizations.”

Orban’s appearance alongside high-profile Republican figures, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Fox News host Sean Hannity, has raised eyebrows amid international backlash to his authoritarian leadership and far-right rhetoric on migration and LGBTQ issues.

Most recently, he was under fire for a July 23 speech in which he said he wanted to prevent his country from becoming a “mixed-race” society.

“We are willing to mix with one another, but we do not want to become peoples of mixed-race,” he said.

Orban continued, “Migration has split Europe in two — or I could say that it has split the West in two. One half is a world where European and non-European peoples live together. These countries are no longer nations: they are nothing more than a conglomeration of peoples.”

A longtime associate of Orban resigned over the remarks, calling it a “pure Nazi” speech. The International Auschwitz Committee said survivors of the Holocaust viewed his statements as “hollow, ignorant and dangerous.”

Despite this, he’s received a friendly reception so far from big-name conservatives.

On his way to CPAC, Orban met with Trump at his New Jersey golf club. Trump is slated to headline the convention on Saturday.

“Great spending time with my friend,” Trump said in a statement. “We discussed many interesting topics — few people know as much about what is going on in the world today. We were also celebrating his great electoral victory in April.”

Conservative media have also given Orban a platform, with Fox’s Tucker Carlson traveling to Hungary for a week last year to profile the leader.

But what is Orban’s appeal to American conservatives?

Kim Lane Scheppele, a professor of sociology and international affairs at Princeton University, says Orban is providing a blueprint on how to be electorally successful.

“Just like Sweden was the model of the social democratic state, Orban has provided this model for leading the culture wars and ending by denying the liberals any possibility of being elected,” Scheppele told ABC News.

“It’s this little country that shows your policies work in some actual location,” she added.

Scheppele said not only are conservatives looking at his policies on migration or LGBTQ issues, but also his use of the power of his office to rewrite the Constitution and remake the nation’s courts to his liking.

“Orban could be a model to American conservatives on a lot of different dimensions, and none of that would be good for the future of constitutional democracy,” Scheppele said.

In his CPAC address, Orban said his nation and American conservatives face the same challenges.

“I’m here to tell you that we should unite our forces because we Hungarians know how to defeat the enemies of freedom on the political battlefield,” he said.

Thursday’s speech wasn’t the first time Orban has addressed CPAC members. He spoke at a special CPAC session in Hungary in May, in which he called Hungary “the bastion of conservative Christian values in Europe.”

“Let’s listen to the man speak,” CPAC chair Matt Schlapp said in an interview at the America First Policy Institute summit after Orban’s controversial speech, according to Bloomberg. “We’ll see what he says. And if people have a disagreement with something he says, they should raise it.”

DHS to pause wiping political appointees’ phones after Jan. 6 committee complains

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Homeland Security will review electronic retention policies, according to a memo obtained by ABC News Thursday, and will halt wiping political appointees’ phones until the review is complete.

The policy comes in the wake of a retention policy that caused the U.S. Secret Service to wipe text messages from Jan. 6 and surrounding days, losing all text messages from the days and drawing ire from the House Jan. 6 committee.

“Earlier this month, Secretary Mayorkas directed the Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Office of the General Counsel to create and lead a Department-wide working group to conduct a 30-day review of the policies and practices for electronic message retention currently in effect throughout DHS and to recommend any necessary improvements,” the memo written by General Counsel Jonathan Meyer said.

“Such messages include, but are not limited to, email, social media messages, instant messages, and text messages. As technology continues to rapidly evolve, the working group will ensure DHS continues to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidance so as to fully meet the expectations of Congress and our other oversight entities, other key stakeholders, and the American public,” the memo said.

The directive, sent to department heads, also said the agency will not wipe political appointees phones until the review is complete.

“Effective immediately and until such time as any additional technical controls recommended by the working group are implemented, DHS agencies and offices are directed to preserve either the actual mobile devices (and accompanying access information) or complete fully accessible backups of all device content for all members of the Senior Executive Service or equivalent and political appointees, whenever such an employee departs or would have their device replaced or wiped for any reason. Mobile devices include smart phones, tablets, and other devices with equivalent capabilities,” the memo read.

Component heads will have until Aug. 5 to identify who will be in charge for each review.

Top Democrats in Congress investigating the events of Jan. 6 continued to allege that the government’s federal watchdog for Homeland Security abandoned efforts to collect texts and phone records from that day.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chair the House Oversight and Homeland Security committees, on Monday renewed calls for Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to step away from the watchdog’s investigation.

“We recently called for you to step aside from this matter and for a new IG to be appointed in light of revelations that you had failed to keep Congress informed of your inability to obtain key information from the Secret Service,” the chairs said in a letter to Cuffari. “Removing yourself from this investigation is even more urgent today.”

“These documents also indicate that your office may have taken steps to cover up the extent of missing records,” the chairs added.

Last month, Cuffari told Congress that the U.S. Secret Service had deleted text messages from Jan. 5 and 6 and that record reviews by DHS attorneys were causing months-long delays.

A spokesperson for the Secret Service acknowledged in a recent statement that some phone data from January 2021 was lost as the result of a pre-planned data transfer, noting that the transfer was underway when the IG office made the request in February 2021.

The committees also said that former DHS Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli was using his personal phone, potentially for official government businesses, and Congress was not notified by the inspector general.

A report from the government accountability group Project on Government Oversight found that messages from Cuccinelli and then-DHS Secretary Chad Wolf have also gone missing.

ABC News’ Quinn Owen contributed to this report.

Biden administration declares monkeypox a public health emergency

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Amid growing calls from health officials across the country, the Biden administration declared the current monkeypox outbreak to be a public health emergency in the U.S. on Thursday afternoon.

The declaration, which was made by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, comes a little less than two weeks after the World Health Organization designated the outbreak an emergency of international concern.

By issuing a declaration, HHS will be able to take a series of actions including accessing funds set aside for such an emergency as well as appointing personnel to positions directly responding to the emergency. It also gives Health Secretary Xavier Becerra significant flexibility to bend federal rules or waive requirements on government health programs like Medicaid, Medicare and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

“We’re prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus,” Becerra said on a media call Thursday. “And we urge every American to take the process seriously and to take responsibility to help us tackle this.”

A public health emergency declaration lasts for 90 days, but it may be extended by Becerra. There have been four national public health emergencies declared in the last 15 years.

“The public health emergency will allow us to explore additional strategies to get vaccines and treatments more quickly out to the affected communities. And it will allow us to get more data from jurisdictions so we can effectively track, and attack, this outbreak,” Bob Fenton, the new White House monkeypox coordinator, said on the media call.

The CDC will now also now receive data from all jurisdictions reporting who is vaccinated as well as data on testing and hospitalizations.

Last week, New York became the first state to declare monkeypox a “disaster emergency,” with officials calling New York City the “epicenter of the outbreak.” Illinois and California soon followed, with both states reporting hundreds of confirmed cases.

There had been mounting pressure for the federal government to declare monkeypox a public health emergency, as confirmed cases have rapidly emerged in recent weeks.

“As the monkeypox virus continues to spread across the United States, I urge you to immediately declare a public health emergency so that the federal government can use every resource and tool available in its response and rapidly increase availability and access to vaccines, tests, and treatments nationwide,” Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, said in a letter to HHS last week.

“The federal government must take every step possible to mitigate the threat monkeypox poses to the health of people in the United States before it is too late,” she added.

Of the more than 26,000 cases reported globally, over 6,600 cases have been reported in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cases have been detected in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Montana and Wyoming are the only states that have yet to confirm cases.

The most common symptoms associated with monkeypox, a cousin of the smallpox virus, are swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, fatigue and muscle aches. The rash may be painful and have lesions that look like pimples or blisters that can occur on the face and other parts of the body.

There have been no deaths due to monkeypox reported in the U.S. However, in recent days, several countries that have not historically reported monkeypox cases, including Brazil and Spain, have confirmed deaths due to the virus, according to The Associated Press.

People are typically infected by close person-to-person contact, including intimate contact. It is possible for the disease to also spread through droplets from face-to-face contact with an infected person, or through droplets on linens, sheets, clothes, and surfaces, when people are close for prolonged periods.

However, in the current outbreak, most of the spread has come from coming into prolonged skin-to-skin contact with infected people’s lesions or bodily fluids.

Before the outbreak, most cases occurred in countries where the virus is usually found or endemic — typically central and western Africa.

At this time, the majority of cases in the current outbreak have been detected in gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men. However, health officials have repeatedly stressed that anyone can contract the virus and there is currently no evidence it is a sexually transmitted disease.

Officials have confirmed that at least five children in the U.S. have now tested positive for monkeypox, as well as a pregnant woman.

Over the weekend, the CDC warned in a health alert that some evidence suggests people with uncontrolled HIV and children younger than 8 years old could develop more severe illness if infected. In addition, while it is unclear if pregnancy puts someone at greater risk for more severe illness, there is a risk of transmitting the virus to the fetus during pregnancy, or to a newborn after birth.

The Biden administration, alongside global health officials, has vowed to ramp up the United States’ response to monkeypox, as more cases have emerged.

Earlier this week, the White House announced they had appointed Fenton, who was acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency when President Joe Biden took office, as the White House coordinator for the monkeypox outbreak.

As monkeypox cases have emerged across the country, demand for vaccines has surged across the country, particularly in large metropolises like New York City.

In the coming weeks, HHS officials have reported that a total of 1.1 million doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine will be available to states and jurisdictions across the country.

Federal health officials said Thursday that more than 600,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine — which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for smallpox and monkeypox — have been delivered across the country.

To increase the number of doses available, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said the agency has “identified a potential solution.”

“We’re considering an approach … that would allow health care providers to use an existing one-dose vial of the vaccine to administer a total of up to five separate doses,” he said.

The vaccine would be given in a smaller, shallower injection under the skin, a method Califf said would still be safe and effective but would allow up to five doses to be pulled from one vial.. Stretching the supplies could help “close the gap,” Califf said. He added that a decision will be made in the coming days.

One dead, 11 sickened in Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in California county

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NAPA, Calif.) — Health officials are investigating a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in a northern California county.

Twelve residents of Napa County have been diagnosed and hospitalized with the rare lung infection since July 11, according to Napa County Public Health. Among those, one person has died and three people remain hospitalized, health officials said Wednesday.

As part of its investigation, the county has been testing human-made water sources, including cooling towers and decorative fountains, for the presence of the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.

Preliminary results found “high levels” of the Legionella bacteria in a sample taken from a cooling tower at the hotel Embassy Suites Napa Valley, in the city of Napa.

The cooling tower has been taken offline, “which mitigates any ongoing risk to public health,” and the county health department said it is continuing to identify any other sources that have unsafe amounts of the bacteria.

“Our joint investigation team continues to work with Embassy Suites staff to remediate the source of exposure,” Napa County health officer Dr. Karen Relucio said in a statement. “Finding Legionella in one water sample is an important piece of the puzzle, but we must continue to investigate other cooling towers and water sources in the outbreak area, as it is common to find more than one source.”

None of the 12 patients diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease have been identified as having stayed or visited the Embassy Suites hotel, health officials said.

An Embassy Suites by Hilton Napa Valley spokesperson told ABC News that the hotel is continuing to “cooperate fully” with the county’s ongoing investigation.

“We are waiting for a full report with test results from the health department, however, remain diligent in our commitment to providing a safe, hospitable environment for all,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “In keeping with that commitment and upon learning of their concerns, we immediately contacted our consultant and water treatment provider to ensure we were following the guidance set forth by the health department and began remediation.”

Legionella bacteria grows in warm water and can become a health concern when it spreads in man-made water systems like cooling towers, hot tubs, decorative fountains and plumbing systems. People can get Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in small droplets of water containing the bacteria.

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include cough, fever and difficulty breathing. It is not spread from person to person and can be treated with antibiotics when caught early.

People at higher risk of getting sick from Legionnaires’ disease, a serious type of pneumonia, include those ages 50 and older, smokers and those with chronic lung disease or compromised immune systems.

The person who died in the Napa County outbreak was over 50 and had risk factors for “severe disease,” health officials said.

“Although Legionnaires’ disease is a rare infection, this is a reminder that the bacteria that cause it are common in nature and can be found in man-made water systems,” Relucio said. “This means it’s very important for owners and managers of water systems that can create aerosols to take steps to prevent Legionella from growing and spreading in water systems.”

Health departments reported nearly 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the U.S. in 2018, though the true number may be 1.8 to 2.7 times higher than what is reported, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in 10 cases are fatal, the CDC said.

Little-known species are at even more risk of extinction, scientists say

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The species scientists know least about are at an even higher risk of extinction because researchers are unable to tailor conservation efforts to their needs, according to researchers.

More than 4,300 species whose extinction risk cannot be assessed due to a lack of ecological data are likely at risk of extinction, according to study published in Communications Biology on Thursday.

Among the more than 26,000 species that have been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), nearly 7,700 have been declared data deficient, meaning there is not enough data to make any sort of declaration on their extinction risk, Jan Borgelt, an ecologist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and author of the study, told ABC News.

Calculations based on previously published data on the geographical areas the species live in, as well as factors known to affect biodiversity — such as climate change, land use by humans and threats posed by invasive species — were used to predict extinction risk for data deficient species, according to the study.

The researchers found that about 56% of data deficient species are likely threatened with extinction compared with 28% of species that have been assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

This becomes a problem for those making conservation plans, Borgelt said.

“So in most cases, actually, these data deficiencies are just ignored in a lot of analysis simply because we don’t know how threatened they are, if they’re threatened at all,” he said.

Extinction risks for data deficient species varied between groups and geographic areas. About 85% of amphibians, 40% of ray-finned fish, 61% of mammals, 59% of reptiles and 62% of insects are likely at risk of extinction, the study said.

For land-dwelling species that are data deficient, risk of extinction is prevalent among those that occupy smaller geographical areas within regions such as central Africa, southern Asia and Madagascar, the researchers found.

Maintaining the earth’s biodiversity is critical because all life depends on the proper functioning of ecosystems — such as clean water and carbon sequestration to help mitigate climate change, Borgelt said.

“Ultimately, functioning ecosystems depend on the species that live in those ecosystems,” he said. “And once we lose species, we sort of distract these ecological networks.”

The findings highlight potential biases in current conservation priorities as well as the importance of conservation for many data deficient species that are likely threatened by extinction, the paper concluded.

These assessments are “the very foundation of all conservation-related actions,” Borgelt said.

Drone strike on al-Qaeda leader renews hostility between US, Taliban

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The drone strike that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri is a double-edged sword for President Joe Biden, both bolstering his claim that counterterrorism operations need not rely on U.S. boots on the ground while casting doubt on his claim that Afghanistan would never again become a safe haven for America’s enemies.

But for the Taliban, the revelation that Osama bin Laden’s successor was hiding in plain sight in the heart of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul is a much sharper blow — hardening its pariah status at a time when the country’s de facto government is desperate for international legitimacy.

Taliban leaders, who initially tried to obscure evidence of the strike, waited days after to issue an official response.

On Thursday, the Taliban formally denied having any knowledge of al-Zawahiri’s “arrival and stay in Kabul,” even though he was living in the guest house of Afghanistan’s influential Interior Minister and the U.S. intelligence community has assessed that other top-level members of the government were also aware of Zawahiri’s location, according to a senior administration official within the Biden administration.

The Taliban also claimed Afghanistan poses no danger to any country, but condemned the strike that killed Zawahiri and issued a warning to the U.S., saying “if such action is repeated, the responsibility of any consequences will be on the United States of America.”

Though sources say American diplomats were not surprised to see that the Taliban has continued its close ties with al-Qaeda, a longtime ally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed outrage that Afghanistan’s government harbored Zawahiri.

“By hosting and sheltering the leader of al Qa’ida in Kabul, the Taliban grossly violated the Doha Agreement and repeated assurances to the world that they would not allow Afghan territory to be used by terrorists to threaten the security of other countries,” Blinken said in a statement, referring the 2020 deal that paved the way for the withdrawal of NATO forces from the country in return for anti-terrorism commitments.

Despite the continuing conversation, concerns that releasing the funds would be politically untenable have ballooned in the wake of al-Zawahiri’s killing, as some officials fear any sign of support of Afghanistan’s de facto government could be construed by the American public as condoning the Taliban’s affiliation with extremists.

Though the Biden administration has previously faced backlash for failing to transfer the assets, the Taliban have the most to lose as they struggle to manage Afghanistan’s floundering economy.

Isolated and under sanctions, the Taliban have recently undertaken a concentrated effort to gain status on the world stage, which the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency has characterized as a bid “to prove to the international community that it is a reliable partner.” Although no country has officially recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan, at least four have accredited its appointed officials — a step in that direction.

But the Taliban’s response to the strike has done little to control damage with the international community. And domestically, the Taliban have been the target of blowback from nationalist who want to seek revenge.

Meanwhile, the suffering throughout Afghanistan is only worsening. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s quarterly report to Congress released this week predicts that before November “humanitarian food assistance is expected to decrease from reaching 38% of the population to only 8% due to lack of funding.” The United Nations’ World Food Programme estimates that 92% of the country’s population currently faces some level of food insecurity and three million children are at risk of acute malnutrition.

ABC News’ Cindy Smith contributed to this report.

DOJ charges four current, former police officers in connection with raid that killed Breonna Taylor

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday that the Department of Justice has filed charges against four former and current Louisville police officers in connection with the death of Breonna Taylor. The charges include civil rights offenses, unlawful conspiracies, unconstitutional use of force and obstruction offenses.

The Justice Department has had a pattern or practice investigation ongoing into the Louisville Police Department since April 2021.

The federal charges allege that police officers falsified the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant of Taylor’s home and that this act violated federal civil rights laws, resulting in her death. Former Louisville detective Kelly Goodlett and officer Joshua Jaynes have been charged with conspiracy for allegedly falsifying the affidavit for a search warrant, according to the justice department.

Charges have also been filed against Brett Hankison a former Louisville Metro Police officer who was involved in the death of Breonna Taylor. Hankison has been charged in a two-count indictment for deprivation of rights under color of law, both of which are civil rights offenses.

“We share, but we cannot fully imagine, the grief felt by Breanna Taylor’s loved ones and all of those affected by the events of March 13, 2020. Breonna Taylor should be alive today,” Garland said during a press conference.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

-ABC News’ Alexander Mallin and Jack Date contributed to this report.

DOJ charges current, former police officers in connection with raid that killed Breonna Taylor

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

“The federal charges announced today allege that members of a Police Investigations Unit falsified the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant of Ms. Taylor’s home and that this act violated federal civil rights laws, and that those violations resulted in Ms. Taylor’s death,” Garland said in a news conference.

The federal charges against detective Joshua Jaynes, former Louisville detective Kelly Goodlett and sergeant Kyle Meany allege they violated Taylor’s Fourth Amendment rights when they sought a warrant to search Taylor’s home while knowing they lacked probable cause, and that they knew their affidavit supporting the warrant contained false and misleading information and omitted other material information, resulting in her death.

“Among other things, the affidavit falsely claimed that officers had verified that the target of the alleged drug trafficking operation had received packages at Ms. Taylor’s address. In fact, defendants Jaynes and Goodlett knew that was not true,” Garland said during a press conference.

Garland also alleged that Jaynes and Goodlett knew armed officers will be carrying out the raid at Taylor’s home, and that conducting the search could create “a dangerous situation for anyone who happened to be in Ms. Taylor’s home.”

Prosecutors allege that Jaynes and Goodlett met in a garage after Taylor’s death “where they agreed to tell investigators” looking into the botched raid “a false story.”

Hankison allegedly used unconstitutional excessive force during the raid when he fired 10 shots through a window and sliding glass door in Taylor’s home that was covered in blinds and curtains after there was no longer a “lawful objective justifying the use of deadly force.”

Hankison went to trial on state charges relating to the raid on Taylor’s apartment and was found not guilty on all counts. He was charged with recklessly shooting into a neighboring apartment during the course of the raid that ended with the death of Breonna Taylor, not guilty on all three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree.

Taylor’s death sparked protests nationwide, and outrage was further inflamed after no officers were charged in relation to her fatal shooting.

“The lack of accountability showcased in every aspect of Breonna’s killing speaks to how much more work there is to be done before we can say our justice system is fair and our system of policing is protective of people of color,” Taylor’s attorney, Ben Crump said after Hankison’s trial in March.

The Justice Department has had a pattern or practice investigation ongoing into the Louisville Police Department since April 2021. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke from DOJ’s Civil Rights Division told reporters the separate investigation remains ongoing and that DOJ has a team on the ground still conducting interviews with stakeholders and are conducting ride-alongs with police there.

Louisville officers conducted a raid of Taylor’s apartment on March 13, 2020, at around 12:45 a.m. When officers broke down the door to the apartment, a guest in Taylor’s home, thinking it was an intruder, fired a single gunshot using a legally purchased firearm, hitting the first officer at the door. Two Louisville officers then fired a total of 22 shots into the apartment, one of which hit Taylor in the chest, according to an information filed by the Justice Department.

A third officer moved from the doorway to the side of the apartment and fired ten more shots through a window and a sliding glass door, both of which were covered with blinds and curtains, according to an information filed by the Justice Department.

Garland also alleged that officers who carried out the raid were not involved in drafting the warrant and were unaware of the false and misleading statements it contained when they carried out the raid.

Garland said he spoke with Taylor’s family earlier Thursday and informed them of the charges.

“We share, but we cannot fully imagine, the grief felt by Breonna Taylor’s loved ones and all of those affected by the events of March 13, 2020. Breonna Taylor should be alive today,” Garland said.

-ABC News’ Alexander Mallin and Jack Date contributed to this report.

Northeast braces for record-breaking heat wave

August 4, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Intense heat has returned to the Northeast, with 70 million Americans facing heat advisories on Thursday that will likely extend into the weekend.

Boston is projected to reach 99 degrees on Thursday, breaking a 96-degree high from 1928, according to the National Weather Service. The mayor of Boston declared a heat emergency on Wednesday through Sunday, opening 16 cooling centers across the city.

“I urge everyone to stay cool and safe, and check on your neighbors during the week,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement.

Hartford, Connecticut, is forecast to hit 101 degrees on Thursday, breaking a 1944 record of 96 degrees, the NWS said.

Newark, New Jersey, could tie a 1993 record of 100 degrees. The city of Newark issued a Code Red on Wednesday, urging residents to take precautions against the dangerous heat.

New York City is forecast to break a 2006 record, reaching 94 degrees on Thursday, according to the NWS.

Con Edison, the city’s energy supplier, issued an advisory on Wednesday, asking residents to conserve energy due to the anticipated heat and humidity creating increased demand for electricity.

Philadelphia is expected to tie a 1995 heat record by reaching 95 degrees, according to the NWS.

Two heat deaths have been reported in the Northeast over the last two weeks, one in New York City and one in Philadelphia, officials said. Authorities have warned residents of the danger for more fatalities.

The heat will peak on Thursday, will highs forecast to decrease slightly on Friday before rising again on Sunday. The NWS predicts thunderstorms across the Northeast over the weekend, as heat and humidity come to a head.

The dangerous heat has persisted throughout the summer, with records broken across the Northeast just two weeks ago being threatened once again.

Last week, a heat wave settled over the Northwest, where over a dozen deaths have now been linked to the extreme temperatures.

For more information on staying safe in the heat, click here.

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