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Sen. Warnock urges Democrats to investigate officials who redrew maps

July 22, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Senator Raphael Warnock, D-Ga, is calling for Democrats to investigate officials who he says have “manipulated their maps to silence the voices of Black voters,” as soon as they flip the House or Senate in the midterms.

In the plan, first reviewed by ABC News, Warnock said, “Here is what Democrats must do as soon as we regain power: investigate craven politicians, ban partisan gerrymandering, stop billionaires from buying our elections, expand our democracy and guarantee the right to vote for all Americans.”

Warnock has not ruled out a run for the White House in 2028. That possibility comes as roughly a third of the Congressional Black Caucus risks losing its seats before 2028, with GOP-led Southern legislatures redrawing maps after the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais ruling gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

In Louisiana, where Black residents make up roughly one-third of the population, a federal court had found that a post-2020 congressional map with only one majority-Black district likely diluted Black voting power. The legislature responded by drawing a second majority-Black district as courts had required in similar circumstances.

Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the Supreme Court opinion, which said that states only violate the Voting Rights Act when “evidence supports a strong inference that the State intentionally drew its districts to afford minority voters less opportunity because of their race.”

Republicans have argued that they are redrawing congressional maps to comply with the Supreme Court or to remedy unfairly-drawn districts, and that the districts that could be changed may still elect Black representatives to Congress.

Calling for officials who he says have engaged in gerrymandering to decimate minority voices is a position Warnock hasn’t called for until now, and he said in a phone interview with ABC News that the Callais decision was an “inflection point” for him to do so.

“A Democratic majority in either chamber must immediately investigate these officials, including through Congressional hearings, document requests, depositions, testimony, and, if necessary, subpoenas,” Warnock’s plan states. “We must analyze their statements, actions, and contributions to determine if there is any evidence that they broke any laws in their race to gerrymander and silence Black voices.”

Asked whether Democrats who’ve engaged in partisan gerrymandering — in California, for example — should face investigation, Warnock said that the state’s redistricting came in direct response to President Donald Trump pushing Texas to gerrymander five seats.

“There’s a significant difference between that and an open process in which Californians got to vote,” Warnock said. “This was not done in a smoky, dark room. They had a referendum. Again, if I had my druthers, there would be no gerrymandering.”

“There are only 22 districts out of 435 in this country in which a Democrat or a Republican could win the seat. I’m a Democrat. I think that’s a sad state of affairs,” Warnock added.

Warnock said that he’s been pushing his party to prioritize voting rights since he was first elected. In 2021, during negotiations over the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Warnock urged then-President Joe Biden in a phone call that legislative action on voting rights should be prioritized alongside the package.

Warnock said he tried to convince former Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to amend the filibuster so the party could pass voting rights legislation four years ago, arguing voting rights mattered more than a procedural rule.

“I said to my caucus then, as the newcomer, that I was afraid that if we don’t do something … we would cross a Rubicon in this country that we wouldn’t be able to get back,” Warnock said. “I said that then, and sadly, it didn’t get done.”

Looking ahead, Warnock said if Democrats flip even just one chamber, the party should break up pieces of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and “force everybody to vote on it.”

DOJ investigating Rep. Cory Mills: Sources

July 22, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department is investigating embattled Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

The investigation is in part about his finances, according to sources. Mills’ office did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

MS NOW first reported the investigation.

Further details about the investigation were not immediately clear.

Mills was elected to the House to represent Florida’s 7th District in 2022 and reelected in 2024. He serves on the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees.

Last November, the House Ethics Committee voted to establish an investigative subcommittee to examine allegations that Mills violated campaign finance laws and engaged in sexual misconduct and dating violence.

Regarding allegations of sexual misconduct, Mills issued a statement last year, before the ethics committee probe was lauched, stating in part: “These claims are false and misrepresent the nature of my interactions,” and he accused a former Florida primary opponent of “weaponizing the legal system to launch a political attack against the man who beat him.”

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

New Jersey accidentally registered 6,600 noncitizens to vote years ago, governor says

July 22, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — About 6,600 people in New Jersey who said they were not U.S. citizens had been incorrectly registered to vote due to a technical error during the previous gubernatorial administration, Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who took office this year, said Tuesday. She added that fewer than 400 were found to have actually voted and that the state is taking action to remove them from its voter rolls.

The admission came less than a week after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin sent letters to New Jersey and three other states alleging that those states might have tens of thousands of noncitizens registered to vote, although Mullin did not explain how precisely DHS got those numbers.

Mullin and DHS had alleged that New Jersey could have “as many as … 35,152 non-citizens registered to vote in New Jersey.”

Sherrill said in a statement on Tuesday, “Last week I learned that a serious software error in New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle System led to the registration of roughly 6,600 people who indicated that they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024, almost three years prior to my taking office. These individuals answered ‘no’ when asked on a keypad whether they were a U.S. citizen when applying for drivers’ licenses and identification cards, but through no fault of their own, the system registered them anyway.”

The governor’s statement said that the state’s “preliminary analysis” found that less than 400 people who were erroneously registered to vote had voted in elections and were not tied to just one party; they were registered as Democrats, Republicans, or unaffiliated voters.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Sherrill said those voters could have potentially voted in any election since being registered, but the state has “no evidence at this time that any elections were swayed” because of those voters

Sherrill said that she has ordered an independent investigation about what happened, the removal of any New Jersey residents from the state’s voter rolls who should not have been registered to vote, and that the new administrator of New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle Commission is starting to replace the vendor tasked with running the faulty system.

The governor also said she will present the state’s findings after it investigates, and that the state is taking care to protect the identities of noncitizens who were registered inadvertently so that their immigration status does not get imperiled.

In a statement, IDEMIA, the company that runs the system faulted by the governor, said: “IDEMIA works with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, and has for more than 40 years, to support the process through which eligible individuals may indicate their interest in registering to vote when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or state-issued identification card. IDEMIA’s role is to transmit information through the motor vehicle system. The voter registration information is transmitted to the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Elections, which is ultimately responsible for verifying eligibility to vote. Information submitted by IDEMIA must still be validated and adjudicated by the Division of Elections.”

At her press conference, Sherill pushed back against any insinuation that the finding validates claims the Trump administration has made about New Jersey’s voter rolls.

“Let me be clear: Donald Trump has zero credibility on the issue of election integrity. For the past 10 years, he’s cried wolf and peddled bizarre conspiracy theories about fraud with no evidence,” she told reporters during the press conference.

Sherrill also briefly referenced the DHS letter, saying that the number of alleged noncitizen voters appears to be unrelated to the number of noncitizen voters New Jersey uncovered. She confirmed New Jersey received the DHS letter, but said the state asked the administration for any evidence of there being that many noncitizen voters and has not gotten anything back yet.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice said Tuesday that is investigating the matter.

In a letter to Sherrill shared on social media, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, wrote: “Ensuring that U.S. citizens’ votes are not illegally diluted by noncitizens votes is of paramount importance. We therefore write to formally request additional information to assess New Jersey’s compliance with various federal statutes.” Dhillon asked for the state to provide within five business days personal information on the registered noncitizens the state identified and details on the around 400 who voted.

The White House said Tuesday’s announcement from Sherrill bolsters the need for Congress to pass the president’s signature SAVE America Act, which would significantly retool the administration of American elections.

“Democrats and their media allies have repeatedly said it is impossible for noncitizens to register to vote, let alone cast a ballot,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

“As President Trump has said, there is nothing more important than the integrity of our elections. And this latest incident underscores the absolute necessity of the SAVE America Act,” she added. “American voters deserve to have confidence that our elections are safe and secure — President Trump will never stop fighting to make that happen and all patriotic Americans should join in his effort.”

Woman attacked by brown bear while hiking Alaskan trail

July 21, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) — A woman is recovering after she was attacked by a brown bear while hiking through an Alaskan trail over the weekend, Alaskan authorities said.

The unidentified victim was hiking on a trail above Bear Valley, a neighborhood in south Anchorage, with another person and three dogs Saturday around 5:30 p.m. when the bear came out of the trees and encountered the pair and their dogs, the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game said.

“High winds and inclement weather conditions at the time of the encounter may have increased the chance that the bear was surprised by the hikers and their dogs, even if they were making noise,” the agency said in a statement.

The bear ran off, and first responders found the woman with non-life-threatening injuries, the Anchorage Police Department said. She was carried out of the trail and transported to a local hospital, according to the police.

Police used a drone to track the bear and ensure it was not coming back as they got the hikers and dogs to safety.

Saturday’s attack took place more than a week after another woman was attacked by a bear on the front porch of her Alaskan home just as she was leaving with her dogs.

The unidentified woman took out a shotgun to try to scare away the adult bear and its two cubs from her dog but was attacked and hospitalized on July 9, according to the authorities.

The bears ran away after being scared off by another person.

4th person dies from Legionnaires’ disease in New York City: Health officials

July 21, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A fourth person has died in New York City amid an ongoing cluster of Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side, according to health officials.

At least 76 cases have been identified and seven people remain hospitalized, the New York City Health Department announced.

Since the cluster began, 53 people have been discharged from the hospital, according to the department.

Health officials advised that anyone who has spent time in the affected ZIP codes 10028, 10075, 10128, including Carnegie Hill and Yorkville, should seek medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms. Legionnaires’ disease symptoms can appear up to 14 days after exposure, according to the health department.

The department previously said it believes the source of the Legionella bacteria has likely been eliminated and that it will continue inspecting every cooling tower that tested positive for the bacteria.

Health officials added there is not an issue with any building’s plumbing system and that residents in the affected ZIP codes can continue to drink tap water, bathe, shower, cook and use an air conditioner at home.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria in small droplets of water mixed in the air or contaminated water accidentally going into the lungs.

The bacteria are found naturally in freshwater, but amounts generally don’t lead to disease. The bacteria typically grow best in warm water and in warm to hot temperatures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The disease does not generally spread from person to person, but infections can occur if the bacteria get into a building’s water supply, including in shower heads, sink faucets, hot water tanks, heaters, cooling towers and other plumbing systems.

Legionnaires’ disease has increased in prevalence over the last decade, reaching a peak of 2.71 cases per 100,000 in 2018, the CDC said. Cases dropped during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and then rebounded in 2021.

Although most people recover from Legionnaires’ disease with antibiotics, certain patients — including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases — can develop complications that can be fatal.

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

2 Americans stabbed outside the Acropolis in Greece

July 21, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(ATHENS, Greece) — Two Greek-American tourists were rushed to the hospital Tuesday morning after they were stabbed outside the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:05 a.m., just after the Acropolis Museum’s opening, police said.

Prior to the incident, an individual brandishing a knife outside the museum’s entrance was threatening pedestrians, prompting a bystander to place an emergency call to authorities, according to eyewitnesses and authorities.

Before law enforcement arrived, the assailant stabbed a couple, a 53-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman. The male victim suffered severe blood loss, police said.

The male victim’s injuries required urgent care due to blood loss, but both victims are reported to be in stable condition. The female victim suffered minor injuries to her hands and legs.

Police have taken a 60-year-old suspect into custody.

The rapid-response unit within the Hellenic Police and the Athens Police Directorate immobilized and disarmed the suspect, detaining the individual on the scene.

This is a story in development.

Tropical Storm Bertha churns off Florida coast, prompting storm alerts

July 21, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Bertha was churning early on Tuesday about 110 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, moving northwest at about 5 mph, with maximum sustained winds at about 50 mph.

Tropical storm watches and warnings were in effect for parts of the Florida Panhandle to the coast of southeastern Louisiana, including Florida’s Panama City and Pensacola, along with Mobile, Alabama, and Gulfport, Mississippi.

A tropical storm watch was in effect for New Orleans on Tuesday morning.

A tropical depression that formed over the weekend strengthened on Monday night into Tropical Storm Bertha, the National Hurricane Center, prompting a tropical storm watch on Monday for parts of the Gulf Coast.

A tropical storm is defined as a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39 mph to 73 mph.

On the forecast track, the storm was expected to slowly move along the Gulf Coast through Tuesday before approaching southern Louisiana on Wednesday, still as a rather weak tropical storm.

New Orleans was likely see some showers and gusty winds, some of which could potentially be tropical storm force, starting Tuesday night and lasting through Wednesday into Thursday, but major impacts are not anticipated.

Beyond Wednesday, Bertha was expected to continue moving westward toward Texas while weakening. It was expected to dissipate or turn post-tropical on Thursday night or Friday.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms were expected to possible on Tuesday along the Gulf Coast and Florida panhandle. Storm surge could reach 1 to 4 feet. Life-threatening rip currents were also expected to be also possible.

The rain and thunderstorm activity was forecast to shift toward southern Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday and Wednesday. Gusty winds would also be possible, along with a widespread 2 to 4 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts up to 8 inches through Friday along the Gulf Coast.

Major rain or flooding from Bertha were not expected.

As of 8 p.m. ET Monday, Bertha had a maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It continued to move very slowly, at just 3 mph, and the center was located about 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida.

The system was forecast to weaken back to a tropical depression sometime on Thursday and possibly dissipate or become post-tropical by the end of the week, as it was expected to approach the Texas coast.

The National Hurricane Center said the system would likely have a very asymmetric structure, with the bulk of the rainfall and much of the wind expected to occur to the south of the center, meaning it would not be over land.

D4vd murder case: Dayslong preliminary hearing set to begin in Los Angeles

July 21, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — A highly anticipated dayslong preliminary hearing in the murder case against the singer D4vd is set to get underway in Los Angeles on Tuesday, with evidence and testimony to be presented in court for the first time.

D4vd — whose legal name is David Burke — was arrested and charged in April with the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez following a monthslong investigation. He has pleaded not guilty to charges that include first-degree murder, sexual abuse of a child and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

The preliminary hearing is expected to last three to seven days, with prosecutors seeking to establish probable cause to move forward with a trial.

Prosecutors allege that D4vd and Rivas Hernandez began a sexual relationship in 2023, when he was 18 and she was 13, and that she was threatening to expose their illegal relationship and ruin his career if he would not be exclusive to her.

Just as tickets for his world tour were set to go on sale, it is alleged that the “Romantic Homicide” singer ordered an Uber that brought Rivas Hernandez to his Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025, prosecutors said in a nine-page brief filed days after D4vd’s arrest. That was the last time she was seen alive, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors allege that D4vd stabbed the teen multiple times, watching her bleed out, and then undertook a series of events to dismember her body, including ordering two chainsaws on Amazon.

“In order to distance himself from the victim, he amputated her left ring and pinky fingers because her ring finger contained a tattoo of his name,” prosecutors wrote in their brief, noting that her fingers have not been found.

Her badly decomposed remains were found in two body bags in the front trunk of D4vd’s Tesla four months later, in September 2025, according to prosecutors.

The brief was filed to “assist the court in understanding the scope and relevance of evidence the prosecution intends to present at the preliminary hearing,” prosecutors wrote.

During his arraignment in April, D4vd’s attorney, Blair Berk, asked for a preliminary hearing as soon as possible, saying she believes the evidence will show that he did not murder Rivas Hernandez and that they would “like to be able to have the evidence come into the light of day at the earliest opportunity.”

D4vd has been held on no bail since his arrest.

His attorneys said they plan to “vigorously defend David’s innocence.”

“The actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death,” his attorneys — Berk, as well as Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter — said in a statement following his arrest.

An attorney for Rivas Hernandez’s family said in April that the family has decided not to make any future statements “in light of the gruesome details emerging almost daily.”

“There are no words to express the indescribable pain the family is experiencing right now,” the attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, said in a statement. “They still have bills to pay and jobs they go to every day. All they want is time to grieve and heal.”

Smithsonian official set to testify before Congress amid sharp White House criticism of museum

July 21, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (MNAH) is scheduled to testify before two congressional House committees this week amid sharp criticism from the White House over the contents of the Washington, D.C. museum.

Anthea Hartig is set to face grilling by lawmakers on Tuesday morning in a House Subcommittee on Delivering Government Efficiency hearing titled “Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian’s Efforts to Reshape the Past,” according to a committee press release.

She is also expected to testify in a related hearing on Wednesday before the Committee on House Administration, a committee spokesperson confirmed to ABC News. ABC News has reached out to the Smithsonian for confirmation.

Hartig was named in a scathing White House Domestic Policy Council report released on July 4, accusing the MNAH and its leadership of engaging in “extreme political activism” and presenting “a radical view of American history.”

Asked about the report, a spokesperson for the Smithsonian told ABC News on July 5 that the institution remains committed to impartial learning.

“For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so,” the spokesperson said.

Hartig’s testimony this week would mark the first time that a top leader at the Smithsonian gets grilled publicly by Congress after President Donald Trump targeted the institution in his March 27, 2025 executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”

The executive order directed Vice President J.D. Vance, in consultation with the president’s advisers on domestic policy, “to remove improper ideology” from Smithsonian institutions, arguing that materials that cast America in a “negative light” have no place in federal cultural institutions.

The White House last year launched an investigation into the Smithsonian, which oversees 21 museums, galleries and the national zoo, and released the July 4 report targeting the American history museum as part of this probe.

The report accuses the museum of “anti-White activism,” “illegal alien activism,” and “transgender activism.” It also includes many photos of materials the White House has identified as problematic.

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, who has not addressed the report publicly, disputed its findings in an internal letter to staff that was obtained by ABC News.

Bunch wrote that Smithsonian leadership is “carefully” reviewing the report’s findings, but said that the report’s assessment is “not a fair characterization.

“While there will always be room for improvement, this report is not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History,” Bunch said in the letter. “At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.”

“As public servants and the keepers of this institution, we are charged with helping a nation find understanding, hope, and clarity and as part of that duty, we are dedicated to excellence, reflection, and growth,” Bunch added.

The report was published by the White House Domestic Policy Council. Vince Haley, the group’s director, said in a statement to ABC News that “No American wants the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to be a system of ideological activism.”

“Unfortunately, the report demonstrates that is exactly what the Smithsonian’s flagship museum has become,” he said. “It is our hope and expectation that the Smithsonian will eventually rise once again to that noble obligation — to tell America’s story for our children, the world, and future generations of Americans,” he added.

ABC News’ Mariam Khan contributed to this report.

Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, says she will run for full Senate term

July 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Sen. Darline Graham, the sister of the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, confirmed in an interview with Fox News that aired Monday she will run for the seat for a full term, in addition to serving out the rest of Lindsey Graham’s unfinished one.

“I’ve been praying a lot, talking to my family. But with the love of my family, with the support of his staff — I know I’m a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey. He cared about the people of this state. I’ve worked for almost 30 years for the people of this state,” she said in the interview.

“I feel like I can do it,” she continued. “I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes, absolutely.”

Asked by Fox News anchor Sean Hannity if she’s inclined to get into the race or if she’s made a final decision, Darline Graham said, “I’ve made a decision.”

“You’re in?” Hannity asked, to which she responded, “I’m in.”

Darline Graham was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to finish the final few months of her brother’s current term, which expires in January. She was sworn in last week at the Capitol.

The late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s spot on the November general election ballot for a full six-year term is being filled by a special Republican primary election set for August 11. Filing for candidates for the primary opens on Tuesday and closes on July 28.

Republican Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry of South Carolina have already launched campaigns, as has businessman Mark Lynch, who ran against Lindsey Graham in the state’s regular June primary.

But on Friday, President Donald Trump endorsed Darline Graham, encouraging her to run for the seat and writing, “There would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.”

Darline Graham served as a commissioner on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and has worked in other state roles, including in roles where she worked with individuals with disabilities.

Darline Graham has spoken about how her brother took care of her after both of their parents passed away when they were young.

Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly on July 11 at the age of 71. Memorial services for the longtime Republican lawmaker will take place in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina next week.

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