(NEW YORK) — Medical and scientific experts advising the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously Wednesday in favor of allowing a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription.
The vote could sway the FDA, which ultimately needs to sign off. But if the FDA agrees, the progestin-only pill Opill could be on shelves this summer as the first over-the-counter pill sold in the U.S.
“The large body of evidence on the safety and effectiveness is very reassuring,” said Dr. Kathryn Curtis, a reproductive health expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after voting in favor of easing access.
Opill, made by the French drugmaker HRA Pharma, which is owned by Perrigo, has been on the market since the FDA approved it in 1973. Known as a “mini pill,” the drug is considered by doctors to pose fewer risks than combination pills that rely on estrogen.
Still, the FDA has posed questions about whether women could screen themselves for risks. For example, certain breast cancer survivors shouldn’t take the drug and women shouldn’t ignore abnormal uterine bleeding while on the drug, which could be a sign of an unrelated medical problem like an ectopic pregnancy.
Another concern was whether there was enough data on how teens would use the pill and if young teens in particular – ages 11 to 14 – would read the labeling and take the medication correctly.
But after two days of discussion, panel members said they didn’t think those concerns were serious enough to insist that a person see a provider first — a hurdle that keeps many patients from preventing unwanted pregnancies. Of particular concern was the lack of health care access by people of color and those who struggle to find child care or transportation.
Dr. Eve Espey, an FDA adviser and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of New Mexico, said an over-the-counter birth control pill is particularly needed in rural states like hers.
“I see it firsthand — people who face all of these barriers and who also experienced the maternal … mortality that goes along with unintended pregnancy,” Espy said.
“From my perspective, despite the FDA concerns about the study design and different interpretations of the studies, the overall very rare and unlikely harms are outweighed by the tremendous benefits of improved access without any restrictions,” she added.
Perrigo President and CEO Murray Kessler called the vote a “new, groundbreaking chapter in reproductive health,” while advocacy groups cheered the move as historic.
“It is past time for an over-the-counter birth control pill, which has the potential to advance reproductive justice and expand health equity,” Victoria Nichols, project director at Free the Pill, said.
Manufacturers of the drug haven’t said how much Opill will cost if sold without a prescription, although officials say the plan is to ensure it will be affordable.
ABC News’ Mary Kekatos contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., has been indicted on 13 counts, including seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives, federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York said Wednesday.
The embattled congressman was taken into custody Wednesday morning on Long Island, New York.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 10, 4:24 PM EDT
Santos says he’ll vote on border bill tomorrow
Addressing reporters outside the Long Island federal courthouse after his arraignment, Santos said his case is about being “innocent until proven guilty.”
“I have my right to fight to prove my innocence,” he said.
The freshman congressman, who was released on bond, said he’ll return to Washington to vote on the House Republicans’ border security bill tomorrow.
“I have to go back and vote tomorrow,” Santos said. “We have one of the most consequential vote in this Congress, which is a border bill, and I’m very looking forward to being there.”
Saying “the media is not jury or the judge,” Santos said he would present evidence of his innocence “to the jurist and to the judge in this courthouse.”
“If Congress requested, I will present it to them as well,” he said.
May 10, 4:00 PM EDT
‘I will get to clear my name,’ Santos says
Asked by ABC News’ Rachel Scott why he would apply for unemployment benefits while he had a job that paid $120,000 a year as alleged in the federal indictment, Santos said, “This is inaccurate information.”
“I will get to clear my name on this. During the pandemic, it wasn’t very clear. I don’t understand where the government is getting their information, but I will present my facts.”
“My employment was changed during the time,” he said of the period when prosecutors allege he collected $24,000 in unemployment funds under false pretenses. “I don’t understand where the government’s coming from. I’ll present my defense.”
May 10, 3:49 PM EDT
Santos says he won’t resign
Speaking to reporters outside the Long Island federal courthouse following his arraignment, Santos said that he will not resign from Congress as a result of his indictment.
“I’m going to fight my battle,” Santos said. “I’m going to deliver. I’m going to fight the witch hunt. I’m going to take care of clearing my name and I look forward to doing that.”
May 10, 2:46 PM EDT
Santos won’t have to wear ankle monitor
Ryan Harris, a federal prosecutor speaking on behalf of the government, laid out the conditions of Santos’ bond, which defense counsel had agreed to as “something palatable for both of us.”
Among the conditions, Santos can travel within the continental U.S. — but must notify pretrial services before doing so.
He can travel freely within and between New York City, Long Island, and Washington, D.C.
A spokesperson for the Eastern District of New York confirmed that Santos will not be required to wear an ankle monitor.
Santos’ next hearing is scheduled for June 30.
-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin and Lucien Bruggeman
May 10, 2:37 PM EDT
Santos to be released on $500,000 bond
Santos will be released on $500,000 bond now that his arraignment has concluded.
At his arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty, Magistrate Judge Anne Shields read a summary of the charges against Santos and notified him of his rights — to which Santos replied, “Yes, ma’am.”
Santos confirmed that he had read the indictment and had consulted with his attorney.
Before the hearing began, Santos’ attorney, Joe Murray, told a group of reporters that Santos was feeling “good” and was looking forward to the hearing, where he was “finally going to get to address the allegations.”
-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin and Lucien Bruggeman
May 10, 2:28 PM EDT
Santos pleads not guilty
Santos has pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment at the Long Island federal courthouse.
May 10, 1:29 PM EDT
Santos’ attorney arrives at courthouse
Santos’ lawyer, Joe Murray, and congressional aide Vish Burra have entered the Long Island federal courthouse where Santos is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon.
Neither responded to questions from reporters as they made their way inside.
May 10, 12:52 PM EDT
Several House Republicans reiterate calls for Santos to resign
About a dozen GOP members of the House had previously called on Santos to resign or be expelled from Congress in the face of allegations against him, and several of them are reiterating that stance today.
In a statement today, fellow New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, said, “The charges against Rep. Santos are extremely serious and deeply disturbing and as I’ve previously said, he simply doesn’t have the trust of his constituents or colleagues. The sooner he leaves, the sooner his district can be represented by someone who isn’t a liar and fraud.”
Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., told reporters on his way into a conference meeting this morning, “I can’t wait for him to be gone.”
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Tex., tweeted, “George Santos should be immediately expelled from Congress and a special election initiated at the soonest possible date,” while Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., told reporters, “This has been going on now since we took the majority. Frankly, I would have hoped along the way that Mr. Santos would have done what I believed was the right thing and not force leadership to force his action, but for him to do it on his own.”
The office of Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, says his position remains unchanged from the his Jan. 12 statement which said, in part, “I do not believe George Santos can effectively serve and should resign.”
In other statements released Tuesday night by Santos’ fellow New York Republicans, Rep. Nick LaLota said, “These charges bring us one step closer to never having to talk about this lying loser ever again,” while Rep. Mike Lawler said, “I reiterate my call for George Santos to step down” and Rep. Anthony D’Esposito said, “As a retired NYPD Detective, I am confident the justice system will fully reveal Congressman Santos’ long history of deceit, and I once again call on this serial fraudster to resign from office.”
Other GOP House members from New York who have previously called for Santos to step down include Rep. Nick Langworthy and Rep. Brandon Williams.
Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., told CNN Tuesday night, “I do believe that if a member of Congress is charged with a federal crime they should resign,” and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told CNN, “We should really hold our own accountable and recruit someone who’s going to be better.”
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller, Gabe Ferris, Katherine Faulders and Jay O’Brien
May 10, 11:16 AM EDT
House GOP leadership standing by Santos
House Republican leadership is continuing to stand by Santos following the 13-count indictment. Among the House’s GOP leadership, there have been no calls today for Santos to resign.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy says that Santos, “like every American,” will have his “day in court.”
“He will go through his time in trial and let’s find out how the outcome is,” McCarthy said.
The speaker said that Santos “was never put on committee, so he won’t serve on committee.”
Asked if money laundering, wire fraud, and lying to Congress concerns him, McCarthy responded, “It always concerns me.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, during a press conference this morning, said that the charges were serious — but did not call on Santos to resign.
“There’s a presumption of innocence, but the charges are serious,” Scalise said. “He’ll have to go through the legal process.”
-ABC News’ Gabe Ferris, Lauren Peller and Katherine Faulders
May 10, 10:33 AM EDT
Santos misled House about finances, indictment says
In addition to being charged with defrauding campaign donors and falsely applying for unemployment benefits, the indictment alleges that Santos mislead the House of Representatives about his finances, specifically in to two financial disclosure forms he filed as a candidate.
in May 2020, during his first unsuccessful campaign, Santos overstated one source of income while failing to disclose his investment firm salary, the indictment says.
And in September 2022, while running again, Santos again included falsehoods in his financial disclosure forms, according to the indictment.
Santos lied about earning a $750,000 salary and between $1 million and $5 million in dividends from his company, the Devolder Organization, according to the indictment, and falsely claimed to have a checking account that held between $100,000 and $250,000, and a savings account with deposits of between $1 and $5 million.
“These assertions were false. Santos had not received from the Devolder Organization the reported amounts of salary or dividends,” prosecutors said in the indictment.
May 10, 10:17 AM EDT
Santos to be arraigned this afternoon, could face 20 years
Santos was placed under arrest this morning and will be arraigned on the indictment this afternoon.
He was placed under arrest on a 13-count, 19-page indictment that outlines three main schemes.
If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 20 years in prison — though it’s by no means certain he would serve that much time.
May 10, 10:11 AM EDT
Santos defrauded campaign donors, prosecutors say
Federal prosecutors in Central Islip, New York, accuse Santos of engaging in a “scheme to defraud” his campaign donors.
According to the indictment, Santos solicited donations for his run for office “under the false pretense” that those funds would actually be used for politics.
Instead, prosecutors said Santos spent “thousands of dollars of the solicited funds on personal expenses, including luxury designer clothing and credit card payments.”
Santos is also charged with illegally receiving unemployment benefits during the pandemic even though “he was employed and was not eligible for unemployment benefits,” the indictment said.
Santos is also charged with lying to the House of Representatives on his financial disclosures. Taken together, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. Santos relied on “repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself.”
May 10, 9:59 AM EDT
Santos received unemployment while working: Docs
Among the accusations in the charging documents are allegations that Santos applied for unemployment benefits during the pandemic, falsely claiming to have been unemployed since March 2020, according to prosecutors.
He collected money from then until April 2021, “when Santos was working and receiving a salary on a near-continuous basis and during his unsuccessful run for Congress,” referring to his first run for the job, which he lost. In total, prosecutors say he collected more than $24,000 in benefits.
He was actually being paid a $120,000 salary as regional director of an investment firm at the time, according to prosecutors.
(CHICAGO) — Four teenagers, including a 16-year-old, have been charged in the murder of a beloved 24-year-old Chicago police officer, authorities announced Wednesday.
Officer Aréanah Preston had just finished her shift and was still in uniform when she was shot and killed at about 1:42 a.m. Saturday, according to Chicago police.
The four suspects — ages 19, 19, 18 and 16 — “were out looking for victims” that night and are believed to be connected to multiple robberies and a car theft in the hours leading up to Preston’s murder, interim Chicago Police Superintendent Eric Carter said at a news conference.
As Preston was returning home, the teens pulled up in a stolen car, and at least two of the teens allegedly fired at her, according to police.
Preston returned fire, but the teens continued to shoot, and they allegedly stole Preston’s gun before fleeing, Carter said.
Preston’s gun has not yet been recovered, police said.
The four suspects were all charged with first-degree murder and face other charges, including armed robbery and arson, police said. The 16-year-old will be charged as an adult, police said.
Carter said Preston was a “beloved, daughter, sister and friend who wanted to make a difference in this world” and “create a better future for Chicago.”
Police Officer Aréanah M. Preston
End of Watch: May 6, 2023
We join Officer Preston’s family and loved ones in mourning the loss of our fallen hero. Our hearts are heavy, but through our grief, we will carry on her legacy of service to Chicago and its people. pic.twitter.com/cZOTrGKZzS
(AUSTIN, Texas) — Despite a consistent stream of tragedies, Texas officials aren’t doing enough to combat gun violence, according to elected officials, activists and families of people killed in mass shootings who say they are frustrated by a lack of legislative progress in the state.
Although gun reform activists claimed a small victory Monday when a Texas state house committee advanced a bill that would raise the age to buy assault-style weapons, they say the process shouldn’t take this long.
Rosie Yanas, who lost her 17-year-old son Chris in a 2018 school shooting at Santa Fe High School located outside of Houston, told ABC News that she and other families worry that no real change will happen given the pro-gun stance taken by many of the state’s leaders.
“Any change is better than nothing,” Yanas, who identifies as a conservative Republican said. “I may not agree with everything, [or] what everybody’s fighting for, but any kind of change is better than nothing.”
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, introduced several bills during this legislative session to combat gun violence. Aside from the bill to raise the age limit on assault-style weapons from 18 to 21, he also is pushing for mandatory safe storage laws, and extreme risk protective orders.
Gutierrez, a Democrat, told ABC News he knows that many of his proposals don’t stand a chance due to opposition from Republicans. However, he said it is worth trying.
“We’re never going to legislate this thing away, but we have to make it harder,” the senator told ABC News about gun violence.
Some activists have noted that other red states pushed to pass bipartisan gun reform bills without the roadblocks. Roughly three weeks after the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting, then-Gov. Rick Scott signed a gun reform package that included raising the minimum age for buying a gun from 18 to 21 and a red flag law that allowed law enforcement the right to petition a judge to take a gun away from an individual who poses a threat to themselves or others.
Republican Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows and Democratic Texas state Rep. Joe Moody sat on a special legislative committee that came together after the Uvalde mass shooting, and responded to the calls from parents who are pushing to raise the age of assault weapon purchases.
Burrows told ABC News that he’s concerned about legal challenges down the line.
“I look at, you know, where are we going to spend our time?” he said. “You know, having a big, robust debate or trying to push something forward like that when there’s a lot of other solutions that I don’t think have this impediment that we can focus on and do.”
Moody told ABC News that it is important to have the conversation about raising the age.
“I will fight for those changes that I think would’ve made their community safer that day because I think they deserve it,” he said.
Christina Delgado, an activist who volunteers with the nonprofit Community Justice Action Fund, told ABC News that she thinks the lack of action by the Texas legislature, despite the outcry from the community, is sometimes caused by political games. However, she reiterated that gun violence and gun reform is not a political issue, but a public health issue.
“There are responsibilities that we all have, not just as parents, not just as Texans, but as Americans and, more importantly, as gun owners, to really stand by those responsibilities,” she said.
(ISLIP, N.Y.) — A federal grand jury has indicted Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., on 13 counts centering around three alleged schemes, according to court documents. The congressman, who was sworn into office in January, was taken into custody Wednesday morning on Long Island.
Santos is charged with five counts of wire fraud in what prosecutors allege was a fraudulent political contribution solicitation scheme. He’s charged with two counts of unlawful monetary transactions for allegedly transferring donations he received for his political campaign to accounts he controlled before spending them on personal purchases, according to the indictment.
He is charged with one count of theft of public money and two more counts of wire fraud for allegedly fraudulently applying for and receiving unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
Santos is also facing two counts of making false statements to the U.S. House of Representatives in financial disclosure reports.
He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday afternoon and said he would defend himself against the allegations in a press conference afterward. “I’m going to fight the witch hunt. I’m going to take care of clearing my name and I look forward to doing that,” he said.”
Scheme to solicit political contributions
Prosecutors allege Santos “devised and executed a scheme to defraud supporters of his candidacy for the House and to obtain money from them” by persuading them to contribute funds to a company he created under the “false pretense” that it would be used for his political campaign.
Santos then allegedly spent thousands of dollars of the solicited funds on personal expenses, including “luxury designer clothing and credit card payments,” according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors allege Santos lied to campaign funders, telling them the company he set up was a social welfare organization or a super PAC. Campaign finance laws require expenditure committees to register with the Federal Election Commission as super PACs within 10 days of receiving contributions or spending more than $1,000 in a calendar year, but Santos allegedly knew his company was not registered as such, according to prosecutors.
Santos allegedly told donors that there were “no limits” on how much contributions could be. At least one person then made contributions to his campaign that exceeded the limit set by campaign finance laws, according to the indictment.
Santos allegedly sent prospective donors one or more text messages or emails requesting donations, claiming the funds would be used for TV advertisements to support his candidacy for the House of Representatives, according to the indictment.
Santos allegedly received two $25,000 donations from funders who were under the false impression that Santos would use the funds to put his advertisements on TV, based on text messages and emails sent to the donors, but the funds were not used for ads or campaign expenditures, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors allege the funds were then transferred into bank accounts controlled by Santos before being spent “for his personal benefit, including to make cash withdrawals, personal purchases of luxury designer clothing, credit card payments, a car payment, payments on personal debts, and one or more bank transfers” to his personal associates, according to the indictment.
Unemployment benefits
Santos is also accused of fraudulently applying for and receiving COVID-19 pandemic-era unemployment benefits, receiving about $24,744 in unemployment benefits, according to the indictment.
On June 17, 2020, Santos allegedly applied to receive New York state unemployment insurance benefits, falsely claiming that he had been unemployed since March 22, 2020, according to prosecutors.
Santos then allegedly certified his eligibility for unemployment benefits on a weekly basis through April 15, 2021, falsely attesting in each instance that he was unemployed despite being a regional director at an investment firm from Feb. 3, 2020, through April 15, 2021, according to prosecutors.
Santos allegedly received a salary of about $120,000 per year from the firm, according to prosecutors.
When asked specifically about the charge outside court, he called the accusation “inaccurate.”
False statements to the US House of Representatives
Santos is also accused of making false statements in two financial disclosures to the House of Representatives that he filed as a candidate.
During his first unsuccessful campaign for office in May 2020, Santos allegedly overstated one source of income while failing to disclose a salary he received from an investment firm, according to the indictment.
When he ran for office again in 2022, Santos allegedly included falsehoods in his financial disclosure forms, according to the indictment. In his 2022 disclosure, Santos lied about earning a $750,000 salary and between $1 million and $5 million in dividends from his company, the Devolder Organization, and Santos falsely claimed to have a checking account that held between $100,000 and $250,000, and a savings account with deposits of between $1 and $5 million, according to the indictment.
ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.
Handwritten lyrics and sheet music, costumes, instruments and memorabilia from some of pop music’s most famous songwriters are on display at The Power of Song: ASongwritersHall of Fame Exhibitat LA’s GRAMMY Museum through September 4.
Handwritten lyrics and sheet music for Mariah Carey‘s “Fly Like a Bird” and Cyndi Lauper‘s “Time After Time” are on display, as well as Halsey‘s acoustic guitar. Outfits worn by Lionel Richie, John Legend and other Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees are also part of the exhibit.
In addition, the exhibit includes “a multitude of other items” from artists like Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons‘ Dan Reynolds and other famous songwriters.
You can get information and buy tickets to the exhibit at GrammyMuseum.org.
Handwritten lyrics and sheet music, costumes, instruments and memorabilia from some of pop music’s most famous songwriters are on display at The Power of Song: A Songwriters Hall of Fame Exhibit at LA’s GRAMMY Museum through September 4.
Handwritten lyrics and sheet music for Mariah Carey‘s “Fly Like a Bird,” Cyndi Lauper‘s “Time After Time,” Eric Clapton‘s “Tears In Heaven” and Annie Lennox‘s “Sweet Dreams [Are Made of This]” are on display, as well as Stevie Wonder‘s harmonica and outfits Annie’s worn. Lionel Richie, John Legend and other Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees are also part of the exhibit.
In addition, the exhibit includes “a multitude of other items” from artists like Taylor Swift, Jon Bon Jovi, James Taylor, Imagine Dragons‘ Dan Reynolds and other famous songwriters.
You can get information and buy tickets to the exhibit at GrammyMuseum.org.
Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor is releasing a new solo song next week.
The track is called “Beyond” and will arrive Tuesday, May 16, alongside a video.
“So stoked for you to hear this one!” Taylor says.
“Beyond” will presumably be the first single off Taylor’s upcoming album, CMF2, the sophomore follow-up to his 2020 solo debut, CMFT. CMF2 is due out later this year on Taylor’s Decibel Cooper imprint with the label BMG.
Fishbone has premiered a new song called “Estranged Fruit.”
The track will appear on an upcoming Fishbone EP produced by NOFX‘s Fat Mike. You can listen to “Estranged Fruit” now via digital outlets.
According to Consequence, the EP will be self-titled and arrives May 26.
Fishbone released a new song titled “All We Have Is Now” last February. Prior to that, their most recent release was the 2014 EP Intrinsically Intertwined.
The death of singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot on May 1 sparked lots of renewed interest in his classic songs. According toBillboard, in the week following Lightfoot’s death, on-demand streams of his music jumped 290%, while downloads jumped from 1,000 songs to 41,000 songs, an increase of 3,629%.
The songs seeing the biggest increase include the classic “If You Could Read My Mind,” which tops the Digital Song Sales chart this week, thanks to a 4,162% increase in sales. Other Lightfoot songs landing in the top 10 include “Sundown” at #3, up 2,976%; “The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald” at #5, up 3,429%; and “Carefree Highway” at #10, up 4,283%.
In addition, all four songs land in the top five on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart: “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown” and “Edmond Fitzgerald” in the top three, with “Carefree Highway” at five.
Also returning to the chart is Lightfoot’s 1975 compilation album, Gord’s Gold, which jumps to #95 on the Billboard 200 Album chart, its first return to the chart since January 1977, when it landed at 34.
