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Frontier flight attendants placed on leave after taping unruly passenger to seat

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Frontier flight attendants, with the help of passengers, had to tape an unruly passenger to his seat Saturday after he allegedly groped two of the attendants and punched a third in the face.

In an initial statement to ABC News, the low-cost carrier said the flight attendants involved had been “suspended pending further investigation” because they did not follow the proper policies for restraining a passenger.

The news of the suspension prompted backlash from the nation’s largest flight attendant union — demanding Frontier reinstate them.

“Management should be supporting the crew at this time, not suspending them,” Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA) President Sara Nelson said. “We will be fighting this with every contractual and legal tool available, but we would hope there will be no need for that as management comes to their senses and supports the people on the frontline charged with keeping all passengers safe.”

Frontier then issued a revised statement saying the flight attendants were on paid leave which is “in line with an event of this nature pending an investigation.”

“Frontier Airlines maintains the utmost value, respect, concern and support for all of our flight attendants, including those who were assaulted on this flight,” the airline’s statement continued. “We are supporting the needs of these team members and are working with law enforcement to fully support the prosecution of the passenger involved.”

The unruly passenger was identified by authorities as 22-year-old Maxwell Berry. He was arrested after the flight landed in Miami and is now facing three counts of battery.

Saturday’s case is the latest in a surge of unruly passenger incidents onboard planes. The Federal Aviation Administration has received more than 3,700 reports of unruly passengers since January with more than 2,700 of them involving fliers who refuse to wear a mask.

Last week the flight attendants union released a survey that found that 85% of the nearly 5,000 U.S. flight attendants they surveyed said they had dealt with an unruly passenger in 2021.

Almost 60% said they had experienced not one, but at least five incidents this year, and 17% reported that the incident got physical.

Flight attendants recalled incidents in which visibly drunk passengers verbally abused them, “aggressively” challenged them for making sure passengers were in compliance with the federal mask mandate, shoved them, kicked seats, threw trash at them and defiled the restrooms.

More than half of the flight attendants reported that unruly passengers used racist, sexist and/or homophobic slurs.

“I’ve been yelled at, cursed at and threatened countless times in the last year and the most that has come out of it has been a temporary suspension of travel for the passenger,” one flight attendant wrote in the survey. “We need real consequences if flight attendants are ever going to feel safe at work again.”

The AFA is doubling down on its call for the FAA and Department of Justice to “protect passengers and crew from disruptive and verbally and physically abusive travelers.”

A DOJ spokesperson told ABC News that “interference with flight crew members is a serious crime that deserves the attention of federal law enforcement.”

“As with any case, we exercise prosecutorial discretion in deciding which cases to charge federally,” the spokesperson continued. “Factors include egregiousness of the offense, were lives in danger, victim impact, mental health, did the plane have to make an unscheduled landing, is this a repeat offense, are there mitigating factors, etc. This is a serious crime that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.”

The FAA is still enforcing its zero-tolerance policy for in-flight disruptions which could lead to fines as high as $52,500 and up to 20 years in prison. The agency has looked into more than 628 potential violations of federal law so far this year — the highest number since the agency began keeping records in 1995.

Newly released body cam footage shows chaos, shock minutes after Surfside building collapse

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(SURFSIDE, Fla.) — The screams of people shouting for help can be heard in newly released body cam footage from police officers responding to the collapse of Champlain Towers South in the minutes after the Surfside, Florida, building fell to the ground.

Ninety-eight people were killed when the 12-story condominium building collapsed in the early morning of June 24. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the collapse.

The three videos released by the Town of Surfside on Tuesday show the chaos and shock as first responders and bystanders try to grasp what had just happened.

The footage begins at around 1:24 am, minutes after the collapse of the building.

The videos show Surfside Police officers arriving at the scene, speaking for the first time with survivors and witnesses, and working with other first responders to secure the area.

In one video, Officer Craig Lovellete is seen arriving at the site of the collapse at around 1:27 a.m. He walks up to other officers and asks if there was a fire.

“No,” one officer replies. “The building collapsed.”

Lovellete peeks over a concrete wall and sees the fallen garage with debris everywhere. Screaming can be heard in the background.

Back in his car, he says, “Oh my god” and sighs heavily.

Later Lovellete encounters Champlain Towers South security guard Shamoka Furman, who was in the building when it came down. Furman describes explosion-type noises she says she heard right before the collapse of the building. In another video clip, Officer Kemuel Gambirazio joins parts of the conversation.

“I hear a boom-boom but I’m thinking it’s the elevator … no beeps or nothing goes off … another boom-boom,'” Furman says. She makes hand motions to show Lovellete that after she heard the noises, the building came down.

After seeing two residents exit the building after the loud noise, Furman said she called 911.

“This never happens, I didn’t even know we had earthquakes — I don’t even know what this was,” Furman says. “I don’t even know how I made it out of there … through the grace of God.”

Asked if the building had any work done lately, Furman says she only works overnight.

Officer Ariol Lage’s body cam footage also shows him encountering Furman earlier, while she was still covered in debris.

“What collapsed?” Lage asks.

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Furman says. “All I heard was boom. The garage, the pool — if they don’t get out…”

“It’s OK, fire rescue is here,” Lage replies.

Lage’s bodycam footage also shows him at the garage, which was the area of the building that collapsed first.

“There’s a lot of dust, I can barely see anything,” Lage says into his radio. He then hears a woman scream so he calls out for survivors, shining a flash light toward the noise. A woman is seen next to an overturned car, but cars and debris block Lage from getting to her.

“Are you OK?” Lage asks.

“No,” the woman replies.

Footage then shows Lage leaving the garage and making his way to a colleague, and the two walk around the building trying to determine how to get closer as screams can be heard from people in the area. It’s unclear what happened to them.

Lage and his colleagues are also seen trying to move bystanders away from the scene, fearing that the rest of the building could fall. They encounter a woman who appears to be in shock, standing in front of the building.

When told to move back, the woman replies slowly, “I’m just standing here cause I’m the building president and if you need something…”

Lage interrupts the woman and tells her the rest of the building might collapse, then ushers her away.

Another clip shows Officer Gambirazio talking with a someone who says he just made his way down from the 12th floor penthouse.

The man, who appears to be in shock and out of breath, says he was on his phone watching YouTube when he heard something falling.

He says he initially thought it wasn’t a big deal, but then “all of a sudden, I hear, like, it was a jet right through the front of my balcony. So I get up, and was like, ‘Was that a plane?'”

The video shows another person running toward Gambirazio from the direction of the collapse. The man, appearing distressed and shocked, keeps pointing and shouting toward the direction of the building.

As another officer tries to calm him down, Gambirazio tells him, “Listen, right now, we were told by Rescue not even we can help right now. … They’re coordinating something to help get everybody out.”

“Please” the man says, pointing toward the collapsed structure, but Gambirazio interrupts him and says, “I understand, but we have to do whatever they say.”

The man asks the officers if he can make a call to the building, and Gambirazio responds that he can, but adds that he can’t let him back into the area.

Hugh Jackman urges fans to wear sunscreen after undergoing skin biopsy

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Hugh Jackman urged fans to wear sunscreen when revealing Monday he recently underwent a skin biopsy after his doctor noticed something “a little irregular” on his skin.

The Australian actor shared a video to social media in which he pulled down his mask and showed his bandaged nose. While assuring fans that he’ll be OK, Jackman stressed the importance of wearing sunscreen on a daily basis.

“I just want to let you know, I just went to see … my amazing dermatologists and doctors, and they saw something that was a little irregular,” the Greatest Showman star explained while indicating to his bandaged nose. “So they took a biopsy, and they’re getting it checked.”

Jackman, 52, thanked fans for their concern and assured them they need not “freak out,” promising to keep everyone updated.

“They think it’s probably fine,” he continued. “But remember: Go and get a check and wear sunscreen. Don’t be like me as a kid, just wear sunscreen.”

The actor revealed in a 2015 interview with ABC News that he spent most of his childhood playing in the hot Australian sun and neglected to wear sunscreen. He was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, in 2013.

In the years since, Jackman continued to remind fans of the importance of sunscreen and revealed in 2016 that he had to undergo another biopsy.

“An example of what happens when you don’t wear sunscreen. Basal Cell. The mildest form of cancer but serious, nonetheless. PLEASE USE SUNSCREEN and get regular check-ups,” he wrote at the time.

In 2017, he shared a similar message about his ongoing battle with skin cancer and credited his “frequent checks” for catching it early.

The Mayo Clinic says basal cell carcinoma is believed to be caused by long-term exposure to UV sunlight and says the best way to prevent it is to wear sunscreen.

Governor pardons St. Louis couple who pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

(ST. LOUIS, Mo.) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Tuesday that he had pardoned Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who were charged with waving guns at a group of Black Lives Matter protesters outside their home last year.

Mark McCloskey was seen holding a semi-automatic rifle while his wife was holding a handgun on their property on June 28, 2020, as a group of protesters passed by their house, prosecutors said. The couple were filmed shouting “Get out” to the crowd, but there was no physical confrontation between them and the protesters.

They contended they were protecting their property during the protests.

Several prominent conservative leaders, including President Donald Trump, defended the couple. The McCloskeys were guest speakers at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

A grand jury indicted the couple in October and Pearson told reporters he would consider pardoning them.

The couple pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and harassment charges in June. They surrendered their weapons and Patricia McCloskey was fined $2,000 while her husband was fined $750.

When Judge David Mason asked Mark McCloskey if he acknowledged that his actions put people at risk of personal injury, McCloskey replied, “I sure did, your honor.”

Mark McCloskey, who announced in May he was running for U.S. Senate, told reporters outside the courthouse after the hearing that he’d do it again.

“Any time the mob approaches me, I’ll do what I can to put them in imminent threat of physical injury because that’s what kept them from destroying my house and my family,” he said.

The couple and the governor didn’t immediately provide statements about the pardons.

Help or ‘get out of the way,’ Biden says to governors on combatting pandemic

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The president took aim Tuesday at local officials, including the governors of Florida and Texas, over laws that prevented public health measures in the wake of surging COVID-19 cases.

“I say to these governors: please help, but you aren’t going to help at least get out of the way,” President Joe Biden said. “The people are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives.”

Biden called out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, states which Biden said account for one-third of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

“And worst of all, some state officials are passing laws or signing orders that forbid people from doing the right thing. As of now, seven states not only banned mask mandates, but also banned them in their school districts, even for young children who cannot get vaccinated,” Biden said.

Abbott issued an executive order on Thursday that banned mask mandates and other operating mandates in Texas.

“They have the individual right and responsibility to decide for themselves and their children whether they will wear masks, open their businesses, and engage in leisure activities,” Abbott said in a statement about the order Thursday. “Vaccines, which remain in abundant supply, are the most effective defense against the virus, and they will always remain voluntary — never forced — in the State of Texas.”

DeSantis has stuck to a long-time promise not to impose a mask mandate in Florida. Both states have also moved to ban institutions from requiring vaccinations.

In response to a question from a reporter, Biden criticized the measures as “bad” policy. This comes as the two states see surges in cases and hospitalizations.

“I believe the results of their decisions are not good for their constituents,” Biden said. “And it’s clear to me, and to most medical experts, that the decisions being made, like not allowing mask mandates in school and the like, are bad health policy.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki had a similar sentiment during a press briefing earlier Tuesday, calling out “extreme” measures.

“In fact, the most extreme of these measures is in Texas where … a professor or teacher can be fined if they ask a student if they are vaccinated or if they ask unvaccinated students to wear masks. And I think the fundamental question we have is: What are we doing here?”

Psaki noted the need for unity in the fight against the virus, and even praised most Republican governments who she said are “doing exactly the right thing … and taking steps to advocate for more people to get vaccinated.”

“But if you aren’t going to help, if you aren’t going to abide by public health guidance, then get out of the way and let people do the right thing to lead in their communities, whether they are teachers, university leaders, private sector leaders or others who are trying to save lives,” Psaki said.

Psaki also highlighted that the White House has extended offers of federal support to the two hard-hit states.

“Teams from (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and (Health and Human Services) are in contact with Florida officials to offer technical assistance and support,” Psaki said. “We’re also engaged with the governor’s office in Texas and the state health department to discuss the state of the pandemic there and how we can offer specific assistance, as well as Louisiana.”

Asked by a reporter whether the states had accepted the federal support, Psaki said that it is a “discussion,” and said that they are talking to the states about how the government “can provide additional assistance.”

ABC News’ Molly Nagle and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.

Biden, under pressure, says CDC to announce new action to limit evictions

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Amid pressure from progressive Democrats who have called on the White House to extend the eviction moratorium, and as millions of Americans are at risk this week of being forces to leave their homes, President Joe Biden on Tuesday said his administration would announce a possible new “safety valve” action to limit evictions later in the day.

He told reporters the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would provide details of what he he hoped would be a “new moratorium” that would cover about 90% of renters, although he quickly added, “I didn’t tell them what they had to do.”

The proposed CDC plan would remain in place for 60 days, congressional sources told ABC News.

At the same time, Biden said that he isn’t sure if the new moratorium effort would pass constitutional muster and expects legal challenges, but he said that some scholars he consulted think “it’s worth the effort.”

“I’ve sought out constitutional scholars to determine what is the best possibility that would come from executive action of the CDC’s judgment. What could they do that was most likely to pass muster, constitutionally? The bulk of the constitutional scholarship says that it’s not likely to pass constitutional muster, number one. But there are several key scholars who think that it may and it’s worth the effort,” he said.

Biden said “at a minimum” that by the time this works its way through the courts, some of the funds will be able to reach renters who are struggling.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement after Biden spoke saying a new CDC eviction moratorium would be “tied to Covid infection levels.”

“Today is a day of extraordinary relief. Thanks to the leadership of President Biden, the imminent fear of eviction and being put out on the street has been lifted for countless families across America. Help is Here!” her statement read.

The move comes after Pelosi told the Democratic caucus on a call Tuesday morning that the chamber is not returning to Washington to deal with the lapsed eviction moratorium legislatively and as lawmakers have amped up pressure on the Biden administration to expedite distributing congressionally-allocated funds to help with rental assistance amid the public health emergency.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen joined the Democratic caucus call Tuesday morning to talk about the distribution of nearly $46.5 billion in congressionally approved rental assistance through states and local governments, of which only $3 billion has been distributed. Yellen fielded questions from the caucus about the delays as Democrats continued to push for getting the funds out more quickly.

It is not entirely clear what more the Treasury Department can do to accelerate distributing the money, but it is clear progressive Democrats are livid that action wasn’t taken sooner — with Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., leading the charge and continuing to rally on the Capitol steps Tuesday for a fifth day.

Bush has been camping out on the Capitol steps

Before Biden spoke, Bush spoke to reporters on the Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon, again calling on Congress and the White House to extend the eviction moratorium.

“We want the White House to end this eviction moratorium,” Bush told reporters.

When word of a new plan surfaced, she tweeted, “On Friday night, I came to the Capitol with my chair. I refused to accept that Congress could leave for vacation while 11 million people faced eviction. For 5 days, we’ve been out here, demanding that our government acts to save lives. Today, our movement moved mountains.”

Fellow progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined Bush in immediately reacting to the news the administration was expected to take more steps with Ocasio-Cortez saying the news on evictions shows that “it is okay for us to say: ‘We can do better.'”

Bush said, “This is why this happened,” referring to her sit-in. “Being unapologetic. Being unafraid to stand up.” Schumer also praised the progressive Democrats for putting in the hard work.

At the same time, neither the Senate’s Democratic leader nor the Republican leader suggested that the upper chamber will or should take any immediate action to address the problem after the House failed to extend the moratorium before adjourning for its recess.

GOP Leader Mitch McConnell argued in his weekly press conference that the funds to help struggling renters have already been sent to states and that it’s now their responsibility to disburse those funds to struggling renters.

“It looks like the money is there,” McConnell said, referring to state governments. “It doesn’t seem to meet or require any additional legislative action they need to get the money out there that has already been made available so it can solve the problem.”

Schumer said the Senate is focused on urging the administration and states and localities to extend moratoriums and urging states to disburse rent relief funds.

The Biden administration had announced Monday a series of new measures to prevent evictions — but they fell short of the full extension Democrats pushed for, with White House officials continuing to argue they’re constrained from doing more by a Supreme Court ruling that said Congress must act to extend a moratorium.

Pelosi and House Democrats were caught flat-footed and left frustrated at the lack of involvement from the White House on the issue just days before the moratorium expired.

Bush said that her experience with homelessness gives her an incredibly unique insight into this devastating situation — when families are booted from their homes and potentially forced to live on the streets.

She was joined by other Democratic lawmakers, including Texas Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, who said even though Congress is not in town, they will continue to work on drafting legislation.

Bush said that Pelosi has been “supportive” and “communicative” with her as she continues to protest on the Capitol steps.

She also told reporters about her conversation with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday.

“I wanted her to look me in my eyes and I wanted to look in hers, but I wanted her to see down to my soul what pain looks like,” Bush said. “That is not far from me at all, the days that I’ve been out in the car on the street moving the vehicle around the city of St Louis hoping that the police didn’t come because we were sitting in the car.”

“I remember those moments with my babies crying in the car. And I remember what that was like and not having a place to go,” Bush recalled.

Bush did not indicate how many more days she will spend sleeping on the Capitol steps. Green vowed to join her on the steps later Tuesday.

“I don’t know what the end date is,” Bush said. “Change has to happen for us to leave.”

ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks, Katherine Faulders, Molly Nagle, Allison Pecorin and Libby Cathey contributed to this report.

Wildfires in West prompt new evacuations as they spread through region

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Evacuation orders have been issued in several regions in the West due to spreading wildfires.

Thousands of residents in Northern California and Montana were ordered to flee their homes as both new and existing wildfires neared neighborhoods.

Currently, about 90 large wildfires are burning in 12 states in the West — much of which is suffering from severe drought conditions.

The Dixie Fire, which has been burning near the Feather River Canyon in Northern California for weeks, prompted new evacuation orders in Greenville.

The Dixie Fire — the largest in the state — has been through more than 253,000 acres and is just 35% contained. The extreme fire behavior is being exacerbated by hot and dry conditions with gusty winds are persisting in the area, making it difficult for firefighters to battle the blaze.

The McFarland Fire in Wildwood, California, prompted evacuations in the area after it grew to more than 15,000 acres and remains just 5% contained. Critical fire weather is in effect in the region through Wednesday.

Evacuation warnings are in effect for the Monument Fire in Big Bar, California, after scorching through more than 6,000 acres. It is 0% contained.

The Boulder 2700 Fire near Polson, Montana, burned through nearly 1,500 acres by Tuesday afternoon and prompted evacuations over the weekend. Multiple structures have been destroyed by the fire, but cool, wet and humid weather will help to contain it.

The spread of the wildfires had slowed last week but picked back up as the moisture from the monsoons in the Southwest disappeared, with lightning strikes sparking more.

At least 35 new wildfires ignited over the weekend due to lightning strikes. Dozens of wildfires have sparked in Oregon alone over the last 48 hours, while 13 new fires have started in the last 24 hours in Montana.

Six states in the West, from Arizona to Washington, are currently under fire and heat alerts, while red flag warnings have been issued in Oregon and Northern California.

Excessive heat warnings are also in effect this week for the Southwest, including Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.

ABC News’ Melissa Griffin and Max Golembo contributed to this report.

Biden, lawmakers join growing chorus demanding Gov. Cuomo’s resignation

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden and a growing number of New York lawmakers are calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign after the state’s attorney general said he was found to have sexually harassed multiple women.

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday announced the results of her office’s four-month probe into the allegations, saying current and former state employees were among the women Cuomo sexually harassed. In at least one instance, the governor is accused of seeking to retaliate against a woman who leveled accusations against him.

Cuomo has previously denied the sexual misconduct allegations, saying in March that he would not resign despite mounting calls and new accusations. He bashed politicians who were already calling for him to leave office at the time, accusing them of bowing to “cancel culture.”

In the wake of James’ investigation, a slew of state and local lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in New York are renewing their calls for the governor to step down.

Biden on Tuesday afternoon called on Cuomo to resign, but stopped short of calling for impeachment.

“I think he should resign,” the president said during unrelated remarks about COVID-19. “I understand that the state legislature may decide to impeach. I don’t know that for fact, I’ve not read all that data.”

The president said he had not spoken to the governor Tuesday, but he had previously told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that Cuomo should resign if the allegations were confirmed.

When asked if Cuomo should be impeached or removed from office if he does not resign, Biden said, “Let’s take one thing at a time.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., reiterated their past calls for Cuomo to resign in a new statement Tuesday.

“The New York State Attorney General has conducted an independent, thorough and professional investigation that found the Governor violated state and federal law, had a pattern of sexually harassing current and former employees, retaliated against at least one of the accusers and created a hostile work environment,” the senators said.

“No elected official is above the law,” Schumer and Gillibrand added. “The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said it is “beyond clear” that Cuomo can no longer serve as governor in a statement Tuesday.

“It is beyond clear that Andrew Cuomo is not fit to hold office and can no longer serve as Governor,” de Blasio said. “He must resign, and if he continues to resist and attack the investigators who did their jobs, he should be impeached immediately.”

The mayor also commended the women who came forward and lauded the attorney general’s report that he said substantiates these “disturbing instances of severe misconduct.”

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, also called for resignation or impeachment.

“Attorney General James conducted a thorough and revealing investigation that yielded disturbing conclusions about the conduct of Governor Cuomo,” Adams said. “It is now the duty of the New York State Assembly to take swift and appropriate action and move forward with impeachment proceedings if the Governor will not resign.”

In a joint statement Tuesday, Reps. Tom Suozzi, Hakeem Jeffries and Gregory Meeks — three Democratic New York lawmakers who had previously not called on Cuomo to resign — reversed course.

“The office of Attorney General Tish James conducted a complete, thorough and professional investigation of the disturbing allegations against Governor Andrew Cuomo. The investigation has found that the Governor engaged in abusive behavior toward women, including subordinates, created a hostile work environment and violated state and federal law,” the congressmen stated. “We commend the brave women who came forward and spoke truth to power. The time has come for Governor Andrew Cuomo to do the right thing for the people of New York State and resign.”

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., commended the women who came forward “to speak their truth” in a statement Tuesday.

“Recognizing his love of New York and the respect for the office he holds, I call upon the Governor to resign,” Pelosi added.

New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, similarly for Cuomo to be out in a statement Tuesday.

“This report highlights unacceptable behavior by Governor Cuomo and his administration. As I said, when these disturbing allegations first came to light, the Governor must resign for the good of the state,” Stewart-Cousins said. “Now that the investigation is complete and the allegations have been substantiated, it should be clear to everyone that he can no longer serve as Governor.”

State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, also a Democrat, said in a separate statement that the governor “must step aside or be removed.”

“These damning findings from Attorney General James, who has done a great job, show quite clearly that the governor must resign — and if he will not, that he should be impeached,” Kaminsky, a former federal prosecutor, added. “Not only has Gov. Cuomo broken the law by committing disturbing and dehumanizing acts against women, he has engaged in retaliation against his accusers, and also abused his power as an employer, boss, and the leader of New York and most powerful person in this state.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican representing New York’s 21st district, called on Cuomo to “resign and be arrested immediately” and urged President Joe Biden to “immediately call for Cuomo’s resignation.”

On the other side of the aisle, the progressive New York Working Families Party also called for Cuomo’s resignation, tweeting, “The facts are clear. Andrew Cuomo is unfit to lead and must resign or be removed from office.”

New York Assemblyman Ron Kim, a vocal critic of Cuomo’s pandemic nursing homes scandal, said the governor “must be removed from office immediately.”

“There are no platinum band-aids left to cover up the fact that this governor continues to abuse his office to benefit himself and those around him,” Kim stated. “New Yorkers have had enough. We must return to session immediately and begin the impeachment proceedings.”

Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York City comptroller and a city council member, said in a tweet that Cuomo “should have resigned in March.”

“He should resign now. If he does not, he should be impeached,” Lander added. “If he is not, he should be defeated at the polls.”

Finally, in a statement via Twitter, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said simply: “The Attorney General’s findings are clear. The Governor must resign immediately.”

CBP encounters highest monthly number of migrants attempting to cross border since 2000

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Customs and Border Protection encountered more than 200,000 individuals at the southern border in July, reaching a number not seen in two decades, according to preliminary figures reference by a senior Department of Homeland Security official in a court filing Monday.

In the first 29 days of July, CBP encountered an average of 6,779 individuals per day, including 616 unaccompanied children and 2,583 individuals in family units. Overall, the agency encountered a “record” 19,000 unaccompanied minors during that period and the second-highest number of family unit encounters, at around 80,000, Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy at the DHS David Shahoulian said in the filing.

The number of individuals encountered at the border is the highest since fiscal year 2000, according to CBP records. Unauthorized migrants encountered by CBP in the border region are arrested and detained for processing. So far this year, the majority have been expelled under Title 42, a decades-old section of the public health code implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, but more than 300,000 have been remanded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody or released with future court dates.

Border crossings have been increasing, rising every month since October 2020. Last month, 188,829 migrants attempted to cross the border, according to CBP, reaching 210,000 encounters with individuals at the southern border in July. By comparison, in July 2019, CBP encountered 81,000 individuals attempting to cross the border, and in July 2020, the number was 40,000.

The filing came in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups seeking to overturn the Title 42 restrictions along the southern border. The Trump-era measure currently restricts anyone coming into the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The coalition of advocacy groups fighting Title 42 expulsions argue the measure illegally restricts access to asylum opportunities for those fleeing violence and persecution. Immigration officials have acknowledged the rapid nature of the expulsions — with some carried out in less than 24 hours.

While Shahoulian suggested the number of border crossers were unique individuals, typically when CBP reports encounters it includes those who have made multiple crossing attempts. In June, for example, about a third of migrants arrested at the border had attempted to cross at least once before in 2021.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday — the same day the ACLU renewed its lawsuit — that it would extend Title 42, continuing to cite concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CDC order, which does exempt unaccompanied minors, “temporarily suspends the introduction of certain noncitizens based on the Director’s determination that introduction of such noncitizens” through the Mexico or Canada border “creates a serious danger of the introduction of COVID-19 into the United States,” the agency said in a press release Monday.

Homeland Security Secretary Aljeandro Mayorkas told reporters at a news conference in Mexico City in June that Title 42 is “not a tool of immigration policy.”

But Shahoulian, in the court filing, said that CBP has “limited capacity to hold and process families, and the current migrant surge and ongoing pandemic have only compounded these issues.”

He said the delta variant of COVID-19 has made the situation at the border more complicated because of the speed in which it spreads.

“The rates at which encountered noncitizens are testing positive for COVID-19 have increased significantly in recent weeks,” he said.

He added that lifting the Title 42 restrictions now would be a danger to not only migrants, but also to DHS employees.

“And although the rate of infection among CBP officers had been declining, this rate recently began increasing again, even though the percentage of officers and agents who have been fully vaccinated has grown significantly since January. This has led to increasing numbers of CBP personnel being isolated and hospitalized,” he said.

The extension of Title 42 was cheered by Republicans who have maintained there is a crisis along the southern border due to the influx of migrants coming into the country.

“Good news: Title 42 authority has been extended,” former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf tweeted on Tuesday. “Absolutely needed to address COVID and the border crisis that is growing worse every month.”

The Biden administration has made other efforts to reduce the number of migrants under Homeland Security custody. Since the beginning of this year, it has worked to set up emergency shelters for unaccompanied minors, and employees from across the federal government have been sent on temporary assignments to staff immigration facilities.

Authorities at the border even started releasing a growing number of migrants into the interior of the U.S. without court dates, ABC News reported earlier this year.

Cellphone snapshot of grizzly has Yellowstone tourist facing federal charges

August 3, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(CHEYENNE, Wyo.) — An Illinois woman is facing federal charges for allegedly disturbing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park after a video surfaced of her attempting to get an up-close cellphone photo of a momma grizzly bear and her three cubs.

Bob Murray, the U.S. attorney for the district of Wyoming, announced on Monday that charges have been filed against 25-year-old Samantha R. Dehring of Carol Stream, Illinois.

Dehring is ordered to appear before a magistrate judge in Mammoth Hot Spring, Wyoming, on Aug. 26 to answer to charges of willfully remaining, approaching and photographing wildlife within 100 yards. She is also charged with one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wildlife.

If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to a year in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, Murray said in a statement.

The allegations marked the latest in a series of incidents of Yellowstone visitors behaving badly, including a man authorities say was arrested for taunting a bison and two men charged with “thermal trespassing” for breaching barriers to take up-close photos of the park’s famed Old Faithful geyser.

Attempts by ABC News to reach Dehring for comment were not successful.

With the help of tourists who witnessed and video-recorded Dehring’s close encounter with a grizzly bear family, U.S. Park Police managed to identify her and track her down, Murray said.

The incident unfolded on May 10, in the Roaring Mountain area of Yellowstone, Murray said.

“While other visitors slowly backed off and got into their vehicles, Dehring remained,” Murray said.

A video shot by a tourist showed Dehring standing roughly 15 feet from a grizzly bear taking a photo of the animal with her cellphone. She backed away only after the bear briefly charged at her and then retreated. Other bears nearby appeared to be startled by the encounter and ran into the forest.

Murray said U.S. Park Rangers from Yellowstone provided the results of their investigation to U.S. Rangers in the area where Dehring lives and they served her in person with the violation notices.

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