Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing for U.S. Attorney General in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on January 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Donald Trump’s attorney general nominee Pam Bondi vowed she would remove politics from the Department of Justice during the first day of her confirmation hearing, though her refusal to answer key questions about Trump’s 2020 election loss and his outspoken desire for retribution raised concerns about how she would execute her promise.
With a second day of her hearing set to resume on Thursday, Bondi is expected to glide through confirmation and take on the role of the country’s top law enforcement officer, tasked with implementing Trump’s longstanding desire to reshape the Department of Justice that brought two criminal cases against him before his election.
“The partisanship, the weaponization, will be gone. America will have one tier of justice for all,” Bondi said, vowing that, “There will never be an enemy’s list within the Department of Justice.”
While Bondi sought to reassure the Senate Judiciary Committee about her independence from Trump and desire to usher in a “new golden age” of the DOJ, her refusal to say that Trump lost the 2020 election, defense of her past statement that “prosecutors will be prosecuted,” and openness to investigate Special Counsel Jack Smith prompted skepticism from Democratic members of the committee.
If confirmed, Bondi would lead the DOJ with recently expanded power after the Supreme Court last year ruled that interactions between a president and attorney general are immune from prosecution.
“The fear and the concern we have is that the incoming president will use that loaded weapon, that immunity to commit crimes through the Department of Justice,” said Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff.
Here are five key takeaways from the first day of Bondi’s confirmation hearing:
Bondi vowed to keep politics out of prosecutions, but keeps the door open to investigating Jack Smith
Accusing President Joe Biden of coordinating political prosecutions, Bondi said that she would only bring cases based on “facts and law” and said she has not discussed starting investigations of Trump’s enemies with the president-elect.
“No one will be prosecuted, investigated because they are a political opponent. That’s what we’ve seen for the last four years in this administration. People will be prosecuted, based on the facts and the law,” Bondi said.
However, when pressed about Trump’s claim that special counsel Jack Smith should go to jail, Bondi declined to answer whether she would open an investigation into Smith before suggesting his conduct is “horrible.”
“Senator, what I’m hearing on the news is horrible. Do I know if he committed a crime? I have not looked at it,” said Bondi, who added that “it would be irresponsible … to make a commitment regarding anything.”
In his final report issued earlier this week, Smith denied Trump’s accusation that his work was in any way political — describing the accusation as “laughable” — and assuring Attorney General Merrick Garland that his work followed the “rule of law” and DOJ guidelines regarding political interference.
Bondi declined to answer key questions about Trump’s election denialism, vow to pardon Jan. 6 defendants
Bondi — who helped Trump spread distrust in the outcome of the 2020 election — notably declined to say that Trump lost the 2020 election, raising concerns from Democratic senators in light of Trump’s alleged use of the Department of Justice to illegally retain power after his defeat.
“Are you prepared to say today, under oath, without reservation, that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020?” Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin asked.
“Joe Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in, and he is the president of the United States. There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024,” Bondi said, repeatedly refusing to offer a yes or no answer to the question.
Bondi also refused to condemn Trump’s baseless claim that “massive fraud” corrupted the 2020 election. When asked about Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which he asked him to “find” 11,780 votes, Bondi said she has not listened to the entirety of it, but suggested Trump’s comments were taken out of context.
Bondi also declined to comment about Trump’s vow to pardon the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, during his first day in office, telling the committee she would defer to Trump and declining to weigh in on the proposed pardons because she has not read every defendants’ case file.
“Senator, I have not seen any of those files. Of course, if confirmed and if asked to advise the president, I will look at each and every file. But let me be very clear in speaking to you, I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country,” Bondi answered.
Bondi avoided answering if she would disobey an unlawful order from Trump
When pressed by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons about dropping a criminal case if someone in the White House directed her to, Bondi declined to entertain the hypothetical.
“What I can tell you is my duty, if confirmed as the attorney general, will be to the Constitution and the United States of America, and the most important oath, part of that oath that I will take are the last four words, ‘So help me God.’”
Bondi at one point answered “of course” when asked if she would be willing to resign if asked to do something improper.
“Senator, I wouldn’t work at a law firm, I wouldn’t be a prosecutor, I wouldn’t be attorney general if anyone asked me to do something improper and I felt I had to carry that out,” Bondi said.
Schiff, who had multiple heated exchanges with Bondi, expressed skepticism that she could avoid confrontation with Trump, considering his past attorneys general.
“You may say that you believe that conflict will never come, but every day, week, month and year of the first Trump administration demonstrated that conflict will come. Jeff Sessions may not have believed it would come to him. It came to him. Bill Barr may not have believed it would come to him. It came to him. It came to everyone,” Schiff said. “It will come to you and what you do in that moment will define your attorney generalship.”
Bondi vowed to reform the DOJ but provided few specifics of her plans
Bondi told senators that she aspired to “restore confidence and integrity” in the DOJ after what she called a weaponization of the justice system to target Trump. She vowed that if confirmed, she would answer to the people of the U.S., not the president.
“My oath would be to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. The people of America would be my client,” Bondi said.
While her vow to remove politics from the DOJ were cheered on by Senate Republicans, Bondi offered few details about how she would implement her plan across the department’s 115,000 employees. Bondi attempted to defend her 2023 statement that “prosecutors will be prosecuted,” telling the Committee that she would only bring cases against “bad” prosecutors.
Bondi appears poised to be confirmed by the Senate, as attention turns to Kash Patel
While Senate Democrats raised concerns about Bondi’s refusal to acknowledge Trump’s 2020 loss and lack of commitments, her confirmation appears all but assured.
“I know how to count and I know how to read tea leaves. It seems to me you’re very, very, very, very likely to be confirmed, and certainly look forward to working with you and your office,” said Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla towards the end of the hearing.
After the hearing on Wednesday, a few Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee avoided saying exactly how they’d vote on Bondi’s confirmation, though Sen. Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said the “odds are in her favor.:
“I would say the odds are in her favor with the majority of the Senate floor. I don’t know if a single Republican is going against her. We’re still going to ask the tough questions today and tomorrow,” Durbin said.
With Bondi unlikely to face a serious challenge to her confirmation, Senate Democrats instead turned their attention to Trump’s pick to run the FBI, Kash Patel. Bondi said she looks forward to working with Patel — calling him the “right person” for the job and defending his qualifications — and denying the idea that either she or Patel would maintain a list of enemies or break the law.
“What I can sit here and tell you is Mister Patel, if he works with running the FBI — if he is confirmed, and if I am confirmed, he will follow the law if I am the attorney general of the United States of America, and I don’t believe he would do anything otherwise,” Bondi said.
(WASHINGTON) — Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be secretary of the Department of Energy, laid out his key priorities, including restoring “energy dominance,” increasing technological innovation and cutting regulatory red tape, during a nearly three-hour confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
“I see three immediate tasks where I will focus my attention if I get the privilege of being confirmed. The first is to unleash American energy at home and abroad to restore our energy dominance,” Wright said. “Second, we must lead the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs.”
“Third, we must build things in America again and remove barriers to progress,” he added. “Federal policies today make it too easy to stop projects and very hard, hard to start and complete projects.”
Wright, currently the CEO of fracking company Liberty Energy, has long been a proponent of expanding domestic oil and gas production and has been openly critical of policies aimed at curbing the impacts of climate change.
In his testimony before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Wright expressed support for a range of energy technologies, saying during an exchange with Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, “I am for improving all energy technologies that can better human lives and reduce emissions. They go together.”
He particularly emphasized the roles of commercial nuclear energy, liquefied natural gas and geothermal energy in his envisioned expansion of domestic energy production.
Natural gas accounts for about a third of domestic energy, according to the DOE. For domestic use, it is typically delivered as a gas — its super-chilled liquefied form LNG has become a major U.S. export. The United States is already the world’s largest LNG exporter. The incoming Trump administration has said it will undo the Biden administration’s pause on new export facility approvals and expand LNG exports further.
Nuclear power currently provides about 20% of U.S. domestic electricity production, according to the DOE.
Geothermal energy is heat energy harnessed from reservoirs, either existing or man-made, within the earth’s crust. It is considered a renewable energy source but only accounted for 0.4% of U.S. energy in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
“Energy is the essential agent of change that enables everything that we do, everything,” Wright said Wednesday. “A low energy society is poor. A highly energized society can bring health, wealth and opportunity for all.”
“The stated mission of the company that I founded, Liberty Energy, is to better human lives through energy,” he added. “Liberty works directly in oil, natural gas, next-generation geothermal and has partnerships in next-generation nuclear energy and new battery technology.”
Wright’s stated energy priorities represent a shift from the Biden administration’s focus on clean energy manufacturing, particularly wind and solar energy, and reflect what Republicans have called an “all-of-the-above energy policy” that includes increased production of oil and gas products.
The anticipated policy shift has caused concerns in climate advocacy circles. Those concerns emerged in the hearing room as 10 protesters from youth-led climate advocacy organization Sunrise Movement were arrested after disrupting the hearing, the group told ABC News.
Wright acknowledged the protesters, saying, “You have to understand that there isn’t dirty energy and clean energy. All energies are different, and they all have different trade-offs. Different people have different weights or valuations of trade-offs. Different geographies or locations have climates more favorable to this energy versus that energy. So it’s a complicated dialog, which means it’s not easy to get people to share this broader perspective on it. I think we’re seeing a little bit of that in passionate, well-meaning, wonderful people that have been sitting in the hearing room today.”
The shift is being celebrated by Republicans, including Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee, R-Utah, who said during the hearing that Wright’s nomination “really couldn’t be coming at a more urgent time,” heavily criticizing the Biden administration’s energy policies.
“On his very first day in office, President Biden halted new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and waters, effectively cutting off access to resources that could have powered our economy and benefited the lives of ordinary Americans,” Lee added. “Over the past four years, the same administration has dismantled domestic energy production, canceled leases and weaponized regulations to discourage investment in pipelines and critical energy infrastructure.”
Some Democrats on the committee questioned Wright’s views around climate change, including whether it contributes to disasters like the wildfires in Los Angeles — a connection he stopped short of making, though he did call climate change “a real and global phenomenon.”
In shifting the focus of the DOE away from environmental impacts and toward increased production, Wright said the aim is to reduce costs for the public.
“Ten percent of Americans got a disconnection notice to their utilities in the last 12 months,” Wright said. “More than 20% of Americans report struggles paying their bills — whether it’s paying their energy bills, whether it’s filling their car with gas or heating their home or paying their electricity bill. So, this is important. It’s not just important for national security and industry and all that — it’s important for the quality of life of every American.”
“Energy is the infrastructure of life,” he added. “It’s what makes everything possible.”
(LOS ANGELES) — Los Angeles County has been devastated by two deadly wildfires that have become some of the most destructive in California history.
The Palisades and Eaton fires both erupted on Jan. 7, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds.
Dozens of people are believed to have died in the fires, which have burned down whole swaths of communities, including in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and Pasadena. More than 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the two fires, with the Eaton Fire the most destructive in Los Angeles history.
With the fires continuing to rage, the full scope of the lives lost and destruction remains to be seen.
While working to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires, firefighters also have had to contend with several smaller fires that have ignited amid the hazardous fire conditions.
Here’s a look at how the deadly blazes unfolded.
Jan. 7
A dayslong red flag warning goes into effect for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with very strong winds in the forecast amid dry conditions.
“Strong, damaging and potentially life-threatening #SantaAnaWinds are still on track for #SoCal,” the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warns. “Be prepared for strong winds and high fire danger.”
10:20 a.m.: A live camera with AlertCalifornia, a UC San Diego program to monitor wildfires and disasters in real-time, picks up smoke rising. This is the first sighting of the Palisades Fire.
10:30 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Palisades Fire has started southeast of Palisades Drive in the Pacific Palisades.
11:44 a.m.: Evacuation warnings — voluntary notices to leave — begin to be issued in the Palisades Fire.
Noon: Mandatory evacuation orders start in the Palisades Fire. Long lines of vehicles can be seen amid evacuations, as well as abandoned cars.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency due to the Palisades Fire, which has grown to 1,200 acres at the time of his declaration.
6:18 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Eaton Fire has begun in Altadena, describing the incident as a “fast-moving fire burning brush fueled by high winds,” prompting evacuation orders.
6:26 p.m.: The Los Angeles Fire Department calls on all of its firefighters to report for duty.
10:29 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Hurst Fire has begun in Sylmar, prompting evacuations.
Jan. 8
Newsom says more than 1,400 firefighting personnel and hundreds of “prepositioned assets” have been deployed to battle the “unprecedented fires” ravaging parts of Los Angeles, with the Palisades Fire growing to nearly 3,000 acres and the Eaton Fire to 1,000 acres by the morning.
5 a.m.: A wind gust of 100 mph is recorded at Mountain Lukens in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of La Canada Flintridge — very close to the Eaton Fire.
6:15 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Woodley Fire has begun in the Sepulveda Basin.
At a morning press briefing, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone reports that two people have died in the Eaton Fire, as it continues to rage uncontrolled.
The city of Pasadena issues a do-not-drink-water notification alert due to damage to water reservoirs, tanks and pumping stations, and an air quality alert is issued for parts of Los Angeles County, amid the wildfire impacts.
President Joe Biden approves a major disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities to immediately access recovery funds and resources related to the major wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.
2:07 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Lidia Fire has begun in Acton, prompting evacuations.
5:57 p.m.: A fire has begun in the famed Hollywood Hills, Cal Fire reports. The Sunset Fire prompts evacuations.
8:07 p.m.: The Woodley Fire in the Sepulveda Basin is now fully contained, Cal Fire reports.
By the evening, Newsom updates that more than 7,500 firefighting personnel are on the ground to respond to “California’s ongoing historic wildfires.”
Jan. 9
The Palisades Fire has now burned more than 17,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has grown to more than 10,000 acres, as both are 0% contained.
Newsom announces he has approved a request from Los Angeles County to deploy the California National Guard to support law enforcement efforts in the region, including in efforts to target looting in evacuated communities.
Biden also announces the federal government will cover 100% of the disaster response to the Los Angeles wildfires for 180 days, up from the 75% to 90% that is typically covered.
3:34 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Kenneth Fire has started in West Hills, prompting evacuations.
3:55 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills is 100% contained.
Around 4 p.m.: An evacuation alert is mistakenly sent to millions of Los Angeles County residents, officials said. The county subsequently called the error a “serious breach of public trust” and said, for now, the state’s Office of Emergency Services would be handling alerts to the public.
Jan. 10
The Palisades Fire has grown to nearly 20,000 acres with 6% containment, and the Eaton Fire to nearly 14,000 acres with 0% containment.
Los Angeles officials announce that a 12-hour curfew, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., is in effect for all evacuated areas to protect homes and prevent looting.
11:24 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Archer Fire has begun in Granada Hills, prompting evacuations.
That afternoon, Newsom calls for an independent investigation into the “loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies” from the Santa Ynez Reservoir, following a Los Angeles Times report that the Pacific Palisades reservoir had been closed for repairs at the time the destructive fire started.
“We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires,” he says on X.
Jan. 11
The Palisades Fire is now more than 21,000 acres with 11% containment, while the Eaton Fire is more than 14,000 acres with 15% containment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading a task force investigating the cause and origin of the fires, officials announce. The task force is made up of local, state and federal partners designed to investigate the cause of these fires and to see if there’s any connection between them.
Newsom also announces he is doubling the California National Guard’s deployment to the Los Angeles fires to 1,680 service members, as they are “continuing to rush in resources to rapidly respond to the firestorm in Los Angeles fueled by hurricane-force winds,” he says in a statement.
7:40 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Lidia Fire in Acton is 100% contained.
8:41 a.m.: The Archer Fire in Granada Hills is fully contained, Cal Fire reports.
Jan. 12
The Palisades Fire is now more than 23,000 acres and 11% contained while the Eaton Fire is more than 14,000 acres and 27% contained.
There have been at least 24 fire-related deaths — eight in the Palisades Fire and 16 in the Eaton Fire, according to the latest tally from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.
As the wildfires continue to burn, the National Weather Service issues another red flag warning for fire danger in Southern California through Jan. 15, with high winds again in the forecast. Power shutoffs in evacuated areas will remain through the red flag warning, fire officials said.
The California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund has collected more than $6 million in donations, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announces, with more than 13,000 people from across the country and the globe donating.
7:48 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Kenneth Fire in West Hills is 100% contained.
Jan. 13
The Palisades Fire is now 14% contained, while the Eaton Fire is 33% contained. More than 15,000 firefighting personnel have been deployed for the fires, ahead of the latest fire threat, Newsom says.
Four separate lawsuits are filed against Southern California Edison, a utility company in California, by homeowners and renters who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. The lawsuits each allege the company failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
A group of Pacific Palisades residents and businesses impacted by the Palisades Fire also files a lawsuit against Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power, alleging that the city and its agency were unprepared for the Palisades Fire.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Fire agencies are investigating whether Southern California Edison — a subsidiary of Edison International — infrastructure sites caused fires in areas devastated by the Eaton and Hurst wildfires.
Pedro Pizarro, the president and CEO of Edison International, tells “Good Morning America” that the company cannot yet rule out the possibility that its energy infrastructure played a role in the fires, as they have not yet been able to examine the equipment.
6:27 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Hurst Fire is 97% contained after burning nearly 800 acres in Sylmar.
9:25 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Auto Fire has started in Ventura, prompting evacuations.
Jan. 14
The Palisades Fire is now 17% contained, while the Eaton Fire is 35% contained.
More than 30 people remain unaccounted for in the fires, authorities say at a morning briefing. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department says it is following 24 missing persons cases, all adults, while the Los Angeles Police Department says it has 13 active missing persons cases, two of whom are believed to be dead.
In the afternoon, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner reports an additional fire-related death in the Eaton Fire, bringing the total fatalities in the two wildfires to 25. The Eaton Fire is the fifth-deadliest in the state’s history, with 16 reported deaths.
Jan. 15
The Palisades Fire is now 19% contained and the Eaton Fire 45% contained, as firefighters continue to work to contain and suppress the fires with the red flag warning in effect through the afternoon.
ABC News’ James Hill, Laura Romero, Alexandra Myers, Kate Holland, Kerem Inal, Helena Skinner, Lena Camilletti, Kirsten Cintigo, Tonya Simpson, Tomas Navia and Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.
(LONDON) — After 15 months of conflict, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal.
The prime minister of Qatar announced the deal had been reached in Doha late Wednesday.
Following the deal, world leaders from across the globe shared their reactions to the agreement.
Alexander De Croo, prime minister of Belgium
“After too many months of conflict, we feel tremendous relief for the hostages, for their families and for the people of Gaza. Let’s hope this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a sustained peace. Belgium stands ready to help.”
Olaf Scholz, chancellor of Germany
“The fact that an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, including Germans, seems to have been reached is good news! This agreement must now be implemented to the letter. All of the hostages must be released. The mortal remains of the deceased must also be handed over to the families for a dignified burial. This ceasefire opens the door to a permanent end to the war and to the improvement of the poor humanitarian situation in Gaza. We are continuing to work toward this.”
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission
“I warmly welcome the ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza. Hostages will be reunited with their loved ones and humanitarian aid can reach civilians in Gaza. This brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long. Both parties must fully implement this agreement, as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.”
António Guterres, United Nations secretary-general
“The UN is steadfast in its commitment to supporting all efforts that promote peace, stability, and a more hopeful future for the people of Palestine and Israel, and across the region.”
Keir Starmer, prime minister of the United Kingdom
“After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for. They have borne the brunt of this conflict — triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7th, 2023. The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families. But we should use this moment to pay tribute to those who won’t make it home — including the British people who were murdered by Hamas.
“We will continue to mourn and remember them. For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza. And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people — grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state. The UK and its allies will continue to be at the forefront of these crucial efforts to break the cycle of violence and secure long-term peace in the Middle East.”
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, president of Egypt
“I welcome the ceasefire agreement reached in the Gaza Strip following more than a year of strenuous efforts, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. With this agreement, I emphasize the importance of accelerating the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza to address the catastrophic humanitarian crisis, without any hindrances, until a sustainable peace is achieved through the two-state solution, and for the region to enjoy stability, security and development in a world that is large enough for everyone. Egypt will always remain committed to its pledge, supporting a just peace, being a loyal partner in achieving it, and defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
Barack Obama, former president of the United States
“The ceasefire and hostage release deal announced between Israel and Hamas is good news – for the families of the hostages taken on October 7th, for the Palestinian civilians who have suffered for more than a year, and for everyone who has prayed for an end to this awful chapter. It’s important to recognize that no deal – including this one – can ease the pain of those who have lost loved ones, or resolve the longstanding conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
“That work will be much harder, and take much longer. But it will put a stop to the bloodshed, allow people to return to their homes, and get much-needed aid to more than a million desperate, hungry people. That’s something we should all support, and I’m grateful to President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and all the leaders and diplomatic teams from around the world who have worked so hard to get this done.”
Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada
“Canada welcomes the news of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, and we will support every effort to see it implemented. We urge the parties to act immediately. All the hostages must be returned home. The horrific violence and suffering must end. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must end. There is more work ahead, but today there is hope — for a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders, and with peace, dignity, and security.”
(WASHINGTON) — Concern over dangers to children from increasingly easy access to hardcore pornography online dominated U.S. Supreme Court arguments on Wednesday in a high-profile dispute over a growing number of state laws requiring adult websites to verify the age of users.
The justices heard an appeal from an adult entertainment industry trade group challenging a 2023 Texas mandate that sites with more than a third of content containing “sexual material harmful to minors” must receive electronic proof that a patron is 18 or older.
In all, 18 other states have similar age-verification measures as a means to limit access by minors.
Allowing the Texas measure to stand, industry attorney Derek Shaffer told the justices, “could open the door to an emerging wave of regulations that imperil free speech online.” Many members of the court seemed inclined to support the law nonetheless.
While all states have long made it illegal for brick-and-mortar sellers of pornography to serve underage buyers, the industry alleges Texas’ online verification law uniquely threatens individual privacy and data security for millions of adults who otherwise have a First Amendment right to view the material.
The law requires users to provide digital ID, government-issued ID or other commercially reasonable verification methods, such as a facial scan or credit card transaction data.
“You should have confidentiality that is legally assured,” said Shaffer.
A federal district court sided with the industry and blocked the law; the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, finding that it served a legitimate government interest notwithstanding any imposition on the rights of adult consumers.
“Age verification today is simple, safe, and common, including non-identifying means,” said Texas Solicitor General Aaron Nielson.
Many of the justices seemed eager to find a way to allow the Texas law to remain in force in the interest of protecting children, but also to clarify the strong constitutional protection for free speech that prevents states from excessively infringing on free speech rights.
“Technological access to pornography, obviously, has exploded, right?” observed Chief Justice John Roberts. “It was very difficult for 15-year-olds to get access to the type of things that are available with a push of a button today. And the nature of the pornography, I think, has also changed.”
Roberts implied that the court may need to revisit its precedents that have offered sweeping protection to adult content creators and the adults who consume the material.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a mother of seven, said she knew firsthand how pernicious the dangers of online pornography have become.
“Kids can get online porn through gaming systems, tablets, phones, computers. Let me just say that content-filtering for all those different 25 devices, I can say from personal experience, is difficult to keep up with,” Barrett said. “I think that the explosion of addiction to online porn has shown that content-filtering isn’t working.”
Justice Brett Kavanagh, a father of two teenage daughters, pressed Shaffer over the harms that he suggested states must be able to protect against.
“Do you dispute the societal problems that are created both short term and long term from the rampant access to pornography for children?” Kavanaugh asked.
“That is a complicated question that I don’t know that I can speak to definitively,” Shaffer replied.
Justice Samuel Alito bluntly expressed skepticism of the industry’s claim that less-restrictive alternatives exist to protect kids online, such as parental controls and content-filtering software.
“Come on, be real,” Alito chided Shaffer. “There’s a huge volume of evidence that filtering doesn’t work.”
Several justices, while vocally supportive in principle of the need to prevent children from viewing porn, voiced concern that the means states like Texas were using put too much burden on the content creators and adult consumers.
“It’s not clear to me that just the fact that we have new technology is running in favor of allowing this law to stand as is,” said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a mother of two teenage girls.
“We appreciate the state’s interest in protecting children,” Jackson told Nielson, “but we’re not going to let the state, you know, impose, like, a thousand things that would make it really, really hard for adults when there are other alternatives to protect children.”
Justice Clarence Thomas echoed that sentiment: “Assuming we agree with you, and I think most people do, that kids are to be protected, how much of a burden is permissible on adults’ First Amendment rights?” he asked Nielson.
“One of the important parts of modern age verification technology is that you can do it without identification at all,” the Texas attorney replied. “In other words, there’s no ID or anything like that. It’s just a face scan.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggested the rights of adults to engage in free speech — and free consumption of sexually explicit content — needed guarantees.
“This law … says you can’t retain this information. The other side in its brief argues that that doesn’t mean you can’t sell it or give it away,” she pointed out to Neilson.
“I don’t know if that’s even technologically possible,” he replied.
The case, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, pits a growing nationwide effort to strengthen protections for minors online against a booming multi-billion dollar adult entertainment industry.
“More people watch porn and view porn each year than vote and read the newspaper,” said Lisa Blatt, a veteran Supreme Court litigator with Williams & Connolly LLP.
A 2016 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that up to 70% of men and 40% of women have consumed pornography within the past year in the U.S.
American teenagers have reported similar levels of exposure to pornography a number of studies conducted over the past three years show. Public health experts say young people who view sexually explicit content are more likely to start having sex earlier, engage in unsafe sex, and have multiple partners.
Twenty years ago in a remarkably similar case — Ashcroft v. ACLU — the high court struck down federal legislation that would have required age verification to view sexually explicit material. The decision instead put the onus on parents and technology companies to utilize less burdensome content-filtering software.
The court could choose to rethink that decision and other precedents on these issues, or return the case to a lower court for further consideration under a clarification of existing law.
A decision is expected in the case by the end of June.
(WASHINGTON) — Concern over dangers to children from increasingly easy access to hardcore pornography online dominated U.S. Supreme Court arguments on Wednesday in a high-profile dispute over a growing number of state laws requiring adult websites to verify the age of users.
The justices heard an appeal from an adult entertainment industry trade group challenging a 2023 Texas mandate that sites with more than a third of content containing “sexual material harmful to minors” must receive electronic proof that a patron is 18 or older.
In all, 18 other states have similar age-verification measures as a means to limit access by minors.
Allowing the Texas measure to stand, industry attorney Derek Shaffer told the justices, “could open the door to an emerging wave of regulations that imperil free speech online.” Many members of the court seemed inclined to support the law nonetheless.
While all states have long made it illegal for brick-and-mortar sellers of pornography to serve underage buyers, the industry alleges Texas’ online verification law uniquely threatens individual privacy and data security for millions of adults who otherwise have a First Amendment right to view the material.
The law requires users to provide digital ID, government-issued ID or other commercially reasonable verification methods, such as a facial scan or credit card transaction data.
“You should have confidentiality that is legally assured,” said Shaffer.
A federal district court sided with the industry and blocked the law; the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, finding that it served a legitimate government interest notwithstanding any imposition on the rights of adult consumers.
“Age verification today is simple, safe, and common, including non-identifying means,” said Texas Solicitor General Aaron Nielson.
Many of the justices seemed eager to find a way to allow the Texas law to remain in force in the interest of protecting children, but also to clarify the strong constitutional protection for free speech that prevents states from excessively infringing on free speech rights.
“Technological access to pornography, obviously, has exploded, right?” observed Chief Justice John Roberts. “It was very difficult for 15-year-olds to get access to the type of things that are available with a push of a button today. And the nature of the pornography, I think, has also changed.”
Roberts implied that the court may need to revisit its precedents that have offered sweeping protection to adult content creators and the adults who consume the material.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a mother of seven, said she knew firsthand how pernicious the dangers of online pornography have become.
“Kids can get online porn through gaming systems, tablets, phones, computers. Let me just say that content-filtering for all those different 25 devices, I can say from personal experience, is difficult to keep up with,” Barrett said. “I think that the explosion of addiction to online porn has shown that content-filtering isn’t working.”
Justice Brett Kavanagh, a father of two teenage daughters, pressed Shaffer over the harms that he suggested states must be able to protect against.
“Do you dispute the societal problems that are created both short term and long term from the rampant access to pornography for children?” Kavanaugh asked.
“That is a complicated question that I don’t know that I can speak to definitively,” Shaffer replied.
Justice Samuel Alito bluntly expressed skepticism of the industry’s claim that less-restrictive alternatives exist to protect kids online, such as parental controls and content-filtering software.
“Come on, be real,” Alito chided Shaffer. “There’s a huge volume of evidence that filtering doesn’t work.”
Several justices, while vocally supportive in principle of the need to prevent children from viewing porn, voiced concern that the means states like Texas were using put too much burden on the content creators and adult consumers.
“It’s not clear to me that just the fact that we have new technology is running in favor of allowing this law to stand as is,” said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a mother of two teenage girls.
“We appreciate the state’s interest in protecting children,” Jackson told Nielson, “but we’re not going to let the state, you know, impose, like, a thousand things that would make it really, really hard for adults when there are other alternatives to protect children.”
Justice Clarence Thomas echoed that sentiment: “Assuming we agree with you, and I think most people do, that kids are to be protected, how much of a burden is permissible on adults’ First Amendment rights?” he asked Nielson.
“One of the important parts of modern age verification technology is that you can do it without identification at all,” the Texas attorney replied. “In other words, there’s no ID or anything like that. It’s just a face scan.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggested the rights of adults to engage in free speech — and free consumption of sexually explicit content — needed guarantees.
“This law … says you can’t retain this information. The other side in its brief argues that that doesn’t mean you can’t sell it or give it away,” she pointed out to Neilson.
“I don’t know if that’s even technologically possible,” he replied.
The case, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, pits a growing nationwide effort to strengthen protections for minors online against a booming multi-billion dollar adult entertainment industry.
“More people watch porn and view porn each year than vote and read the newspaper,” said Lisa Blatt, a veteran Supreme Court litigator with Williams & Connolly LLP.
A 2016 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that up to 70% of men and 40% of women have consumed pornography within the past year in the U.S.
American teenagers have reported similar levels of exposure to pornography a number of studies conducted over the past three years show. Public health experts say young people who view sexually explicit content are more likely to start having sex earlier, engage in unsafe sex, and have multiple partners.
Twenty years ago in a remarkably similar case — Ashcroft v. ACLU — the high court struck down federal legislation that would have required age verification to view sexually explicit material. The decision instead put the onus on parents and technology companies to utilize less burdensome content-filtering software.
The court could choose to rethink that decision and other precedents on these issues, or return the case to a lower court for further consideration under a clarification of existing law.
A decision is expected in the case by the end of June.
Photo by DAVID PASHAEE/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
(LOS ANGELES, Calif.) — The destruction caused by the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, which has destroyed more than 14,117 acres across the region in the last week, is threatening Altadena’s rich and diverse history that captures the plight, success and perseverance of the local communities of color.
The Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, a nonprofit founded by Indigenous groups who have called the now-greater Los Angeles basin their home for thousands of years, was given back some of its land at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena in 2022. However, the Eaton Fire has left part of the recently acquired land significantly damaged.
The organization credits traditional ecological knowledge for having “nurtured the land” and aided in its protection, with plans to continue recovering the land with native plants and practices.
“Our immediate focus is on assessing the full extent of the damage, supporting our neighbors, and collaborating with local partners to ensure community recovery,” said the organization in a statement. “We will provide ongoing updates as we work toward healing and rebuilding the Conservancy and surrounding areas.”
Los Angeles County is battling wildfires across 45 square miles of the densely populated county, leaving thousands of structures damages, thousands of residents displaced and at least. 25 people dead.
The destruction has also impacted decades of progress for other communities of color in the region who settled in Altadena, which is now 41% white, 27% Hispanic, 18% Black and 17% multiracial.
In the 1960s, a combination of urban renewal, white flight and the political movements of the time caused rapid demographic shifts in the Altadena region, according to Altadena Heritage.
The end of widespread discriminatory redlining practices made Altadena a place where Black, Hispanic and Indigenous residents looking for a home could find a bargain.
The town became home to several iconic Black figures, including Sidney Poitier, the first Black actor to win an Oscar, prominent author Octavia Butler, artist Charles White, abolitionist Ellen Garrison Jackson Clark and others.
Veronica Jones, president of the Altadena Historical Society, says Altadena offered “more opportunities away from what the city [of Pasadena] offered children of color at that time.”
Many of those who lost homes in the fire are from families that have been in Altadena for generations.
One of those residents is Kim Jones. For Jones, Altadena has been her family’s home for four generations; she says her family moved to Altadena due to racism and segregation in the South in the ’60s.
Jones says speaking about the heartbreak of losing everything is her attempt to be “the family historian” now that the material memories are gone.
She said her grandmother, who had a home on Lincoln Avenue, was one of the first Black families in the neighborhood.
Kendall Jones, Kim’s son, lost memories of his father, who passed away two years ago, in the blaze.
“Part of me is devastated that all that is gone and the memories of him, but at the same time, I’m also hopeful that my family can rebuild and move past this because no matter what, we’re still alive and no one got hurt, and that’s the most important thing,” he told ABC News.
Kim Jones said her 52 years of memories were in the house – “I have pictures from my childhood. Kendall has pictures. My mother had a tiny cabinet and dishes that were her grandmother’s. Jewelry. I had photos from my grandmother, who had lived with them before she passed.”
Earnestine Brown-Turner also lost her home in the blaze. She had evacuated to her daughter’s Los Angeles home, which is in an evacuation warning zone. When Brown-Turner was packing to evacuate, she took little with her and expected to return with her home intact.
When she and her family came back, everything was gone: “We kind of still had the hope as we were driving up the neighborhood, but there was no neighborhood left,” said Imani Brown-Turner.
The Brown-Turner family had memories from enslaved family members, including quilts and photos. Those are all gone.
As residents process the grief of losing everything they had, concerns about the future hang heavy over their heads. The region had already been experiencing signs of gentrification ahead of the destructive blaze.
Veronica Jones noted that the homes in Altadena now sell for hefty price tags, as Altadena becomes a desired area for new residents at the base of the beautiful San Gabriel mountains.
“The area is starting to be revitalized again,” said Kim Jones. “We want to come back. We want to come back and rebuild.”
As families prepare to rebuild their homes from scratch, she fears some residents will be preyed upon for quick sales of their land: “But there’s no quick sale. There’s no quick sale because California is expensive to live in. I want my family home to be a family home for the next generation and the generation after that.”
(LOS ANGELES) — At least 25 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across the Los Angeles area.
Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. About 88,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 84,000 are under evacuation warnings.
Status of Palisades, Eaton fires
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed about 5,000 structures. It’s covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 19% containment.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It’s burned over 14,000 acres and is at 45% containment.
LA County under air quality alert
A new air quality alert has been issued for Los Angeles County until 7 p.m. local time “due to harmful particle pollution levels from windblown dust and ash.”
This pollution can embed deep into the lungs and cause health problems including heart disease symptoms, asthma attacks and an increased risk for respiratory infections.
Health experts and public officials have urged those impacted by the fires to protect themselves from air pollution carried by these winds by staying indoors, wearing protective equipment when needed and taking steps to purify air in the home.
Two people were arrested for arson in separate incidents just outside the fire zone on Wednesday, according to the LAPD.
In one incident, a citizen extinguished a fire in a tree and detained an arson suspect, police said. That suspect admitted to starting the fire because he “liked the smell of burning leaves,” police said.
Later Tuesday night, crews responded to reports of a suspect setting trash on fire, police said. The fire was extinguished. That suspect said she set fires because she enjoyed causing “chaos and destruction,” police said.
Critical fire weather conditions continuing through Wednesday evening
There’s been little to no fire growth at both the Eaton and Palisades fires over the last 24 hours, Cal Fire Incident Commander Gerry Magaña said.
But critical fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday evening, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone warned.
Winds reached 30 to 40 mph overnight, LA City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said. Powerful 70 mph winds haven’t happened yet but are possible, Marrone said.
Eaton Fire containment jumps to 45%
The Eaton Fire, which decimated home after home in Altadena, is 45% contained Wednesday morning.
With 7,000 structures damaged or destroyed, the Eaton Fire is the second-most destructive fire ever in California and the most destructive ever in Los Angeles.
At least 16 people have died from the Eaton Fire, making it the fifth deadliest in the state’s history.
Newsom executive order targets ‘greedy speculators’
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Tuesday intended “to protect firestorm victims in the Los Angeles area from predatory land speculators making aggressive and unsolicited cash offers to purchase their property,” his office said in a statement.
“Taking advantage of the disaster and associated trauma, these predatory and exploitative practices endanger the financial well-being and security of vulnerable victims,” the governor’s office said, vowing “stronger enforcement and prosecution” of those engaging in such activity.
“As families mourn, the last thing they need is greedy speculators taking advantage of their pain,” Newsom said in a statement.
“I have heard first-hand from community members and victims who have received unsolicited and predatory offers from speculators offering cash far below market value — some while their homes were burning,” Newsom added.
“We will not allow greedy developers to rip off these working-class communities at a time when they need more support than ever before.”
-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck
Pacific Palisades residents sue Los Angeles
A group of Pacific Palisades residents and businesses impacted by the Palisades Fire has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against the city’s Department of Water and Power, alleging that the city and its agency were unprepared for the Palisades Fire.
“Plaintiffs are informed and believe that the water supply system servicing areas in and around Pacific Palisades on the date of the Palisades Fire failed, and that this failure was a substantial factor in causing plaintiffs to suffer the losses alleged,” the lawsuit said.
“Further, despite dire warnings by the National Weather Service of a ‘Particularly Dangerous Condition — Red Flag Warning’ of ‘critical fire weather’ which had the potential for rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, the LADWP was unprepared for the Palisades Fire,” the suit added.
The suit was filed in the California Superior Court on Monday and seeks damages for the costs, repair and replacement of damaged or destroyed property; cost for alternative living expenses; loss of wages, earning capacity or profits and any other relief a court deems appropriate.
-ABC News’ James Hill
LA medical examiner issues correction after reporting 25th fire victim
At least 25 people have died in the Los Angeles fires, the LA County Medical Examiner clarified Tuesday night.
The medical examiner issued a correction just hours after it had announced a 25th victim. In its update, the office explained that what it had counted as an additional death from the Eaton Fire was determined to be non-human remains.
Shortly after, the medical examiner reported an additional death from the Palisades Fire, bringing the total back to 25.
There have been at least 16 victims from the Eaton Fire and nine victims from the Palisades Fire.
Palisades Fire now 18% contained
The Palisades Fire, which has spread 23,713 acres, is 18% contained as of Tuesday evening, according to Cal Fire.
Death toll from Los Angeles fires rises to 25 The LA County Medical Examiner’s Office said the suspected death toll from the Los Angeles fires now stands at 25.
Of the deaths, 17 are linked to the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area and eight are linked to the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, the medical examiner’s office said in an update Tuesday.
Red flag warnings in place through Wednesday evening
The “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warnings are in effect through noon on Wednesday as the high winds, low humidity and dry fuel cause a major risk for fires. The regular red flag warnings last until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The dangerous, gusty winds will die down slightly Tuesday evening before picking up again overnight and Wednesday morning.
Gusts may climb to 45 to 70 mph, which could spark new fires, spread existing fires and topple trees and power lines.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Air quality alerts remain in effect
Air quality alerts remain in effect in Southern California as the wind-blown dust and ash from the Palisades and Eaton fires cause harmful pollution levels from Santa Monica and LA south to Newport Beach and inland to San Bernardino.
The poor air quality is expected to continue through at least Wednesday night.
Status of Palisades, Eaton fires
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed about 5,000 structures. It’s covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 17% containment.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It’s burned over 14,000 acres and is at 35% containment.
Super scooper damaged by drone ready to be back in the air
The super scooper firefighting plane that was damaged by a drone last week has been repaired and will be available to respond to fires as of 11 a.m. local time Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.
Firefighters had ‘never seen destruction like this’
LA City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said she and LA Mayor Karen Bass went on an aerial survey of the devastated areas to see the size, scope and complexity of the fires.
The “massive, massive destruction is unimaginable until you actually see it,” Bass said. “I think of the families … we are going to continue to stand with you.”
Bass said after the aerial tour she spoke to firefighters who’ve been on the job for decades. She said the firefighters told her they’d “never seen destruction like this” or winds this fierce.
As the fire danger continues, the mayor said residents looking to help first responders can do so by being prepared.
Bass said residents under evacuation warnings, not evacuation orders, should consider leaving their homes when the warning is issued to avoid the traffic jams so many experienced last week.
Next 24 hours will be very dangerous, sheriff warns
The next 24 hours will be very dangerous as high winds blow through the Los Angeles area, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna warned.
He urged residents to follow evacuation orders, noting that many people who waited until the last minute to evacuate last week suffered significant burns.
“We don’t want you to impact your own life or the life or your loved ones,” Luna said.
The sheriff’s department is following 24 missing persons cases, all adults, Luna said. The LAPD said it has 13 active missing persons cases, two of whom are believed to be dead.
No more remains were found when crews searched the hard-hit Altadena area on Monday, the sheriff said.
Wind gusts reach 72 mph overnight
Dangerously high winds that could fuel wildfires are impacting the Los Angeles area Tuesday and Wednesday.
The highest wind gust recorded so far was 72 mph in the western San Gabriel Mountains, which is in northern LA County.
A 50 mph wind gust was recorded in Malibu Hills.
The gusty winds will spread from the mountains into the valleys and the canyons by Tuesday afternoon.
A slight break in the wind is expected Tuesday evening before the rough winds pick back up Wednesday morning.
The winds will stay strong into Wednesday afternoon and then finally begin to relax Wednesday night into Thursday.
‘Dangerous’ winds to pick up across Los Angeles, Ventura counties
A “particularly dangerous situation” with a red flag warning will go into effect in western Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County on Tuesday, weather officials said, with winds threatening to further fuel historic Southern California wildfires.
The warning begins at 4 a.m. local time. Winds are forecast to gust between 45 mph to 70 mph, with relative humidity as low as 8%.
Winds overnight and early on Tuesday have been gusting up to 67 mph in the mountains near Los Angeles. The West San Gabriel Mountains have seen gusts up to 67 mph, with the Central Ventura County Valley hit about 66 mph.
The strongest gusts are expected Tuesday morning and early afternoon, which will then be followed by a break in the evening. More gusty winds are expected Wednesday morning.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Firefighters stop forward progress of Auto Fire
Firefighters stopped forward progress of the Auto Fire in Ventura County late Monday night, the Ventura County Fire Department said, with the blaze mapped at 55.7 acres with 0% containment.
Firefighting teams “remain on scene mopping up hotspots and working to increase containment,” the department said. “The fire was confined to the river bottom and no structures were threatened. The cause of the fire Is under investigation.”
-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck
LA mayor issues executive order to expedite rebuilding
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order late Monday that her office said “will expedite the rebuilding of homes, businesses and communities” devastated by local wildfires.
“This order is the first step in clearing away red tape and bureaucracy to organize around urgency, common sense and compassion,” Bass said in a statement. “We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home.”
The order was issued as dangerous wind conditions threatened additional homes across the Southern California area.
“This unprecedented natural disaster warrants an unprecedented response,” Bass said.
A mayor’s office press release said the executive order will coordinate debris removal from all impacted areas, expedite all building permit activity and take immediate action to make 1,400 units of housing available.
The order also set a one-week deadline for all city departments to list relief needed from state and federal authorities.
-ABC News’ Tristan Maglunog
More firefighting resources being deployed ahead of extreme fire weather
Additional firefighting resources will be allocated in advance of the extreme fire weather forecast this week in Southern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Monday.
That includes more than 300 additional firefighting personnel and 135 engines — making for more than 15,000 personnel total and 1,900 fire engines, water tenders, aircraft and bulldozers combined in the ongoing fire response, the office said.
How the Palisades Village managed to survive the firestorm
The Palisades Village is largely unscathed amid the devastating Palisades Fire, even as buildings across the street burned to the ground.
That’s because the owners of the outdoor mall hired private tankers to fend off the flames as the fire encroached, ABC News Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman reports.
Tankers could be seen on Monday preparing for the next Santa Ana wind event forecast for this week.
Newsom proposes additional $2.5B in firestorm response
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed that the state provide an additional $2.5 billion in funding for its firestorm response and recovery efforts.
Newsom signed a proclamation on Monday that expands the scope of the state legislature’s current special session “to further boost response and initial recovery efforts for Los Angeles,” his office said in a press release.
The governor is requesting $1 billion to go toward the emergency response, cleanup and recovery in the Los Angeles wildfires, as well as $1.5 billion in funding to prepare for the threats of firestorms and other natural disasters, according to the proclamation.
Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas said in a statement that the assembly members “are listening to their residents and will bring feedback to the discussion as we consider the Governor’s proposal.”
9 people charged with looting in Palisades, Eaton fires: DA
Nine people have been charged with looting in connection with the Palisades and Eaton fires, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday.
“There have been certain people that we have given a warning to because we anticipated that this was half was going to happen, and these are the criminals,” Hochman said during a press briefing. “These are the people who are seeking to exploit this tragedy for their own benefit.”
Among those charged are three people accused of stealing more than $200,000 in property in a burglary last week at a house in Mandeville Canyon during an “evacuation situation,” Hochman said.
A man has also been charged with arson in a fire that occurred in the city of Azusa on Friday, Hochman said.
Homeowners, renters sue utility company over Eaton Fire
Four separate lawsuits were filed Monday against Southern California Edison, a utility company in California, by homeowners and renters who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. The lawsuits each allege the company failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
-ABC News’ Laura Romero
Over 80,000 without power as red flag warnings expand
More than 80,000 customers in California are without power as Southern California Edison starts shutting off power in parts of Southern California ahead of the next wind event, which begins Tuesday.
Areas under a high risk for rapid fire growth have expanded.
Biden: ‘Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost’
President Joe Biden said in a new statement, “Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost in the wildfires.”
Biden said he continues to be “frequently briefed” on updates. He said he’s “directed our team to respond promptly to any request for additional federal firefighting assistance,” adding that his team is “laser-focused on helping survivors and we will continue to use every tool available to support the urgent firefight as the winds are projected to increase.”
“To the brave firefighters and first responders working day and night to suppress these fires and save lives: our nation is grateful,” Biden said. “You represent the best of America and we are in your debt.”
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Areas for worst wind conditions this week
The National Weather Service has highlighted these three areas where officials believe there’s the highest chance for explosive fire growth this week. The Hurst Fire is in the highlighted area and the Palisades Fire is near the highlighted area.
The extreme fire risk will last from 4 a.m. Tuesday to noon Wednesday.
Winds could climb as high as 45 to 70 mph and humidity could be as low as 8 to 15%.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Crews finding remains in Altadena: Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he knows displaced residents want to return to their neighborhoods, but he warned, “we are in the third day of grid searching” in Altadena.
“It is a very grim task,” he said, noting that every day crews are finding people’s remains.
Twenty-three people have been reported missing: 17 from the Eaton Fire and six in the Malibu area, the sheriff said.
Severe fire conditions to continue through Wednesday
Severe fire weather conditions — high winds with low humidity — will continue through Wednesday, keeping the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County critical, LA Fire Chief Anthony Marrone warned at a news conference.
Amid the “unprecedented disaster,” Marrone shared positive news that the Eaton Fire in Altadena didn’t grow at all on Sunday.
The Eaton Fire has damaged or destroyed over 7,000 structures, Marrone said. He said damage inspections for dwellings are 26% completed.
The super scooper firefighting plane damaged by a drone last week has been repaired, Marrone said. Crews are waiting for the Federal Aviation Administration to give the OK to send the plane back in the air.
Ukraine offers aid
Ukraine may send rescuers to help fight the devastating fires in California, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
“The situation there is extremely difficult, and Ukrainians can help Americans save lives,” Zelenskyy tweeted. “This is currently being coordinated, and we have offered our assistance to the American side through the relevant channels. 150 of our firefighters are already prepared.”
Firefighters from Mexico and Canada have also been deployed to California.
Edison International can’t rule out equipment role in wildfires, CEO says
Pedro Pizarro, the president and CEO of Edison International, told “Good Morning America” on Monday that the company cannot yet rule the possibility that its energy infrastructure played a role in sparking wildfires now raging around Los Angeles.
Fire agencies are investigating whether Southern California Edison — a subsidiary of Edison International — infrastructure sites caused fires in areas devastated by the Eaton and Hurst wildfires.
“You can’t rule out anything ever until you can get your eyes on the equipment,” Pizarro said.
“Typically, when there’s a spark created by equipment, we will see the electrical anomaly — we haven’t seen that,” Pizarro said of a possible incident involving Edison infrastructure and the Hurst Fire burning outside of San Fernando.
“That said, we have not been able to get close to the equipment,” he continued. “As soon as we can get close to it, we’ll inspect and be transparent with the public.”
“We may find something different,” Pizarro added.
Pizarro said Edison also recorded damage to equipment at the site of the Eaton Fire in the mountains north of Pasadena. “We don’t know whether the damage happened before or after the start of the fire,” he said.
Pizarro said that Edison International will be shutting off power to some California residents as a precaution amid red flag warnings.
“We have about 450,000 customers who we’ve warned they may need to have their power shut off,” Pizarro said.
High winds threaten explosive fire growth
Weather officials have issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning for western Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County beginning on Tuesday at 4 a.m. into Wednesday at noon.
Winds are forecast to be strong enough to potentially cause explosive fire growth.
A new Santa Ana wind event is forecast Monday through Wednesday with the strongest winds Tuesday into Wednesday.
On Monday morning and the rest of the day, winds will begin to pick up in the mountains and higher elevations, gusting 20 to 30 mph, locally as high as 50 mph.
By Tuesday morning at 4 a.m., when the “PDS” conditions begin, gusts in the mountains are expected to near 70 mph possibly and humidity could be as low as 8% for some of the area.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
68 arrested, many for burglary, in fire evacuation zones, police say
At least 68 people have been arrested in fire evacuation zones, according to law enforcement officials, as police work to secure devastated parts of Los Angeles and firefighters continue to battle wildfires.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it recorded 29 arrests — 25 in the Eaton Fire area north of Pasadena and four in the Palisades Fire area in western Los Angeles.
The Santa Monica Police Department reported 39 arrests in evacuated areas in its jurisdiction on Saturday night, including 10 for burglary and six for possession of burglary tools. None of those arrested lived in the area, the department said.
-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck
Forecast calls for ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ for fires, Newsom warns
Gov. Gavin Newsom warned late Sunday that the week was beginning with a forecast for a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for new wildfires, even as the firefight against the several fires still burning continued.
“Emergency responders are ready tonight. Pre-positioned firefighters and engines are spread around Southern California,” he said on social media. “Stay safe. Be ready to evacuate if you get the order.”
The warning, which comes from the National Weather Service, says that the fire risk is high in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties amid strong winds, a lack of recent rainfall and relatively low humidities. The warning begins Monday night and runs through Wednesday morning, the service said.
It’s is the fourth of its kind in three months, Newsom said. The first came ahead of the Mountain Fire in Ventura, which destroyed 243 structures. The second preceded the Franklin Fire in Malibu, which destroyed 20 structures.
And the third preceded the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which have now destroyed thousands of homes and structures, he said.
Death toll in Los Angeles fires rises to 24
There have been at least 24 fire-related deaths in the Palisades and Eaton Fires, according to the latest tally from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.
The number of fatalities is expected to rise as officials continue to battle the dual fires.
According to the medical examiner, there have been 16 confirmed deaths linked to the Eaton Fire and eight fatalities due to the Palisades Fire.
Los Angeles Unified School District reopening some schools Monday
Los Angeles Unified School District announced some schools are reopening Monday, depending on the location of the institution and the weather conditions.
LAUSD said school principals will contact communities directly.
ABC News confirmed that some community members received calls on Sunday about schools reopening.
The district has over 1,500 schools serving roughly 600,000 students in grades K–12. Schools across the district have been closed due to fires since Thursday.
(WASHINGTON) — The ceasefire and hostage release deal announced Wednesday between Israel and Hamas marks a major political and personal victory for President Joe Biden in his final days in office.
“It’s a very good afternoon,” Biden said as he approached the podium in the Cross Hall of the White House to talk about the agreement, which comes after a devastating 15-month conflict that has subsumed the Middle East.
Biden was flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken as he laid out the work he and his administration’s done to get to this point.
“The elements of this deal were what I laid out in detail this past May, which was embraced by countries around the world and endorsed overwhelmingly by the UN Security Council,” Biden said.
Biden, whose career in politics spans five decades, said the negotiations he was personally involved in for more than a year were the “toughest” he’d ever experienced.
But President-elect Donald Trump is also seeking credit and was first to release a statement on the deal.
“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump wrote on his social media platform as news broke earlier Wednesday.
Trump had previously threatened “all hell will break out” if a deal wasn’t struck by the time he was sworn into office. “It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” Trump warned.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, was in the region with Biden’s team to get the deal done, according to a senior administration official.
Witkoff told Israeli news outlet N12 on Wednesday that the Israel-Hamas deal was achieved because of the help of many and demonstrates the success of what he called Trump’s policy of peace through strength.
Biden noted in his remarks that the terms of the ceasefire agreement will largely be carried out under the incoming Trump administration, and that it is his hope they take the “real opportunity for the Middle East.”
“I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure we’re all speaking with the same voice, because that’s what American presidents do,” Biden said.
But as he walked away, Biden appeared to brush off the role Trump played when asked by a reporter who should get credit for the deal five days before he would leave office and Trump takes over.
“Is that a joke?” Biden responded.
Biden administration officials walked through the long timeline of negotiations, starting with Biden’s framework last May that prompted a summer of “intensive negotiations.” Those talks, however, came to a halt on Aug. 31 when Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages were found dead in Rafah.
One of the key issues had been how many hostages Hamas had, which the official said they did not want to share for much of the past few months.
Since Jan. 5, the official said, negotiators have been in the region nailing down specifics including the complex details like “redeployment of Israeli forces, what Hamas must do, humanitarian provisions and the sequence of releasing hostages and releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners.”
The official added this phase of talks has been “very intense” and came together over the past 96 or so hours.
President Biden held a series of calls over the last few days with key brokers in the region, the official stressed, including Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar and President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt.
“You know, there was no other way for this war to end than with a hostage deal, and I’m deeply satisfied this day has come, finally come, for the sake of the people of Israel and the families waiting in agony,” Biden said.
“And for the sake of the innocent people in Gaza who suffered unimaginable devastation because of the war,” he continued. “The Palestinian people have gone through hell. Too many innocent people have died. Too many communities have been destroyed. And this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild. They can look to a future without Hamas in power.”
ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim contributed to this report.
Andrew Woodley/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) — Lisa Findley, the Missouri woman accused of attempting to illegally put Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate up for auction, could face a federal criminal trial in Tennessee in three months.
During a hearing in federal court in Memphis Wednesday morning that lasted less than 15 minutes, Senior District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. scheduled a trial for Wednesday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m.
Public defender Tyrone Paylor and federal prosecutors agreed to the proposed trial date. March 21 is now the deadline for motions.
A prosecutor told Fowlkes that much of the discovery process has been completed and that many of Findley’s phone calls while in custody have been reviewed.
The prosecutor also mentioned an attempt by investigators to put shredded pieces of paper back together along with an unsuccessful attempt to access smartwatch data, but did not go into detail.
Paylor and members of the prosecution team declined to comment to reporters after court.
Findley, who is accused of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, appeared in the courtroom wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and coat.
She nodded when asked by Fowlkes if she understood that a trial date had been set and turned away from members of the press until the end, when she turned to see the hearing’s attendees walking out of the room.
As part of the alleged scheme, Findley is accused of forging the signatures of Elvis Presley’s late daughter Lisa Marie and Florida notary Kimberly Philbrick in order to claim that Lisa Marie did not pay back a loan from a purported company called Naussany Investments that listed Graceland as collateral.
Philbrick spoke exclusively to ABC News, telling “Good Morning America” in August and “IMPACT x Nightline” in October that she never notarized anything for Lisa Marie Presley and has no idea how her name got tied into Findley’s alleged scheme.
