Over the past few years, DJ and producer Kygo has been remixing classic songs by Whitney Houston, Donna Summer and Tina Turner, including “Higher Love,” “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Hot Stuff.” Now he’s turned his attention to a #1 hit by two of the biggest male music superstars in history.
Kygo has reworked “Say Say Say,” a number-one hit by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson that appeared on McCartney’s 1983 album Pipes of Peace. “I just feel honored,” Kygo tells Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1.
“I feel like everybody seemed like they were pretty happy with this, and they were on board,” he adds. “And Paul McCartney’s team was happy, and Michael Jackson’s estate. They all seem excited about this remix coming out…I feel like they were all just positive about it.”
Describing working with original tracks of the recording, Kygo says, “When you can hear Paul McCartney recording stuff and you can hear MJ’s recording stuff…it’s kind of surreal. It was the same feeling when I had suddenly got the Whitney Houston ‘Higher Love’ [tracks]…it’s a timeless classic track.”
Jetson Electric Bikes recalls 42-Volt Rogue Self-Balancing Scooters/Hoverboards due to fire hazard. — CPSC
(WASHINGTON) — After two deaths, approximately 53,000 hoverboards are being recalled due to fire risks, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said Thursday.
The voluntary recall impacts certain Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooters — also known as hoverboards — which were sold at Target and on the company’s website.
CPSC said a 10-year-old girl and her 15-year-old sister died from an April 2022 fire in Hellertown, Pennsylvania. Local officials determined that a 42-volt Jetson Rogue was the point of origin of the fire, according to a news release from CPSC, which also said “the cause of the fire was undetermined.”
But the agency said the lithium-ion battery packs in the hoverboards can overheat, posing a fire hazard. CPSC also said it was aware of other reports of the recalled scooters “burning, sparking or melting, several of which involved reports of flames.”
CPSC advised consumers to “immediately” stop using and stop charging the recalled 42-volt version of the self-balancing scooters and contact Jetson for a full refund.
In a statement, Jetson said the voluntary recall was “out of an abundance of caution.”
“The safety and quality of all our products is our top priority,” the company said, “and our team is committed to ensuring our products meet all industry standards and regulatory requirements.”
Apple is teaming with Universal Television and Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video for a scripted TV series on the life of Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig tentatively titled The Luckiest Man, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. The drama was adapted from Jonathan Eig’s book, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig, who earned the nickname the Iron Horse for his 17 seasons with the New York Yankees, during which he played in 2,130 consecutive games — a record that stood until Baltimore’s Cal Ripkin Jr. topped it in 1995. Gehrig was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, the same year he retired after being diagnosed with ALS, which is also now known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease”…
Paramount+ announced on Thursday that it has ordered a new Star Trek series, Starfleet Academy. Per the streamer, Starfleet Academy “will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.” Production is set to begin in 2024…
HBO has released the official trailer for its five-episode limited series White House Plumbers, set to debut on May 1. Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux executive produce and star in the series that centers on E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy — played respectively by Harrelson and Theroux — who planned the Watergate burglary that eventually brought down Richard Nixon‘s presidency. White House Plumbers co-stars Lena Headey, Domhnall Gleeson, Judy Greer, Ike Barinholtz, Kiernan Shipka and Kathleen Turner… (Trailer contains uncensored profanity.)
Disney+ dropped a first-look trailer for Season 2 of Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., streaming Friday, March 31. The updated take on the series, the original version of which starred Neil Patrick Harris, follows Lahela “Doogie” Kamealoha, “a half-Asian, half-white 16-year-old girl with a genius-level intellect who has breezed through college and medical school and is now working as a doctor in Hawaii,” per the streamer…
Drs. Christine Metz and Peter Gregersen are studying endometriosis through the ROSE Study at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. — Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
(NEW YORK) — Victoria Balducci, a 39-year-old teacher in New York, was diagnosed last year with endometriosis, a condition that can cause debilitating pain and infertility for women.
Before getting that diagnosis, Balducci said she spent nearly two decades of her life living with menstrual cycles so painful she’d have to miss work or school.
“I’ve been to the [emergency room] because the pain was so bad sometimes I thought, ‘This can’t just be cramps. This has to be my appendix bursting,'” Balducci told “Good Morning America.” “I consistently was told that my [period] pain was normal. Nobody mentioned the word endometriosis once.”
It was only last year, as Balducci was starting the process of freezing her eggs, that she said a fertility doctor told her she should see a specialist for her pain.
Once she saw a specialist who told her she likely had endometriosis, Balducci had to undergo laparoscopic surgery, as it is currently the only way to diagnose the disease.
“It’s really invasive … and the recovery is very intense,” Balducci said of the surgery. “And the diagnosis and the surgery, for many, is a step because there is mystery around if the endometriosis is going to grow back, and if the pain is even going to go away.”
Researchers believe that endometriosis — a disease where the tissue forming the inner lining of the uterus is found outside of the uterus such as within the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bladder and intestines — affects more than 6 million women in the U.S. and as many as 200 million women worldwide.
Though it is one of the most common gynecological diseases, according to the National Institutes of Health, getting a diagnosis is often similar to Balducci’s experience: long and painful.
On average, women wait as long as seven to 10 years for a diagnosis, according to Christine Metz, Ph.D., head of the laboratory of medicinal biochemistry and a professor in the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in New York.
Metz said the delay can be due to everything from women being told their menstrual pain is normal, as in Balducci’s case, to the symptoms of endometriosis — painful menstrual cramps, chronic lower back and pelvis pain, pain during and after sex, bleeding or spotting between periods and digestive problems like diarrhea, constipation, bloating and nausea — being misdiagnosed and treated as gastrointestinal issues.
In many cases, the delay happens, she said, because patients are either not referred for diagnostic surgery, or are hesitant to undergo such an invasive surgery in order to be diagnosed.
“Endometriosis can only be definitively diagnosed through laparoscopic surgery, and that means a small camera is inserted into the abdominal cavity to look for endometriosis lesions,” Metz said. “The suspected lesions that they find during this scoping procedure are removed and then analyzed for the presence of endometrial-like cells.”
Metz said that in her own experience, she has seen patients who have gone as long as 20 years without a diagnosis of endometriosis.
For the past six years, Metz has worked to find a way to diagnose endometriosis that does not require surgery.
She and her research partner, Dr. Peter Gregersen, a rheumatologist and genetics researcher, believe they have found the answer in something that comes monthly for menstruating women: menstrual blood.
“Scientifically, it makes a lot of sense because the lesions that are found in the pelvic cavity contain the same cells that are found in menstrual blood,” Metz said. “And we believe that if you were healthy, most of that tissue and material would be removed.”
Metz and Gregersen are the co-directors of the Research OutSmarts Endometriosis (ROSE) study at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
So far, more than 2,400 women around the world have taken part in the study.
The menstrual blood samples are collected through menstrual sponges that Metz and Gregersen created as a way to collect the sample without any type of insertion, a request that came from participants, according to Metz. The researchers have also worked, she said, to make the diagnostic test “reasonably priced” so it is not cost-prohibitive once it hits the market.
By collecting just a small amount of menstrual blood on the sponge and then analyzing it, Metz said they have been able to document differences in the menstrual blood of people with endometriosis.
Late last year, Metz and Gregersen began a new clinical trial focused on people who are preparing to undergo laparoscopic surgery. The goal of the trial is to see if menstrual blood analysis can be used as a way to screen people for endometriosis, which would help people know more definitively that they could benefit from surgery.
“We hope to finish the trial by the end of this year or the beginning of next year and submit materials to the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration], so that we could get an FDA approval for either a diagnostic for endometriosis or a screening tool,” Metz said.
Endometriosis currently has no known cause, but Metz said by studying menstrual blood, she and Gregersen have been able to start unlocking some of the mysteries of how this common disease starts.
Endometriosis occurs in about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age but is more commonly diagnosed in women in their 30s and 40s, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
There is no known cure for endometriosis, but treatment options include medications and/or surgery, including the medication Orilissa, which has been specifically studied and marketed for the treatment of endometriosis pain.
Metz said that due to a “frustrating” lack of research, doctors and researchers do not yet know what it would mean for women to be diagnosed with endometriosis soon after their first-ever menstrual cycle instead of years or decades later.
“We haven’t even been able to study whether early diagnosis will impact anything, because it’s never been studied in any organized way,” Metz explained. “We don’t know whether early diagnosis with the current therapies will even do anything.”
Through their years of research on menstrual blood, Metz said she and Gregersen have discovered it may help with more than endometriosis, and instead be more of a window into a woman’s overall uterine health.
“Nobody studied menstrual blood with respect to endometriosis, or any uterine condition, prior to our work,” Metz said. “It was never used to understand women’s health.”
In the future, Metz said she hopes collecting a menstrual blood sample will be a routine part of a gynecological exam.
“We believe it was a completely neglected biological sample, perhaps related to the ‘yuck factor’ associated with it,” Metz said of menstrual blood. “We have to dispel all of the negative discussion of being afraid to discuss periods and menstruation … We’re not afraid to talk about our leg pain or arm pain or our tooth pain, but somehow we’ve been quieted.”
Lizzo wants everyone to feel their best, which is why her clothing line, Yitty, has announced a new line of gender-affirming shapewear.
“Introducing… YOUR SKIN by @yitty Gender affirming shapewear for people of all gender identities,” the “About Damn Time” singer shared on social media Thursday. “You deserve to feel like you. You deserve to feel good in Your Skin.”
The post featured Lizzo, who has been a longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights, alongside a diverse group of models, each wearing a piece from the new line.
“We’ve been working on this for a long time and I’m so excited it’s finally here,” she wrote, adding that the new line offers binder tops and tucking thongs.
Yitty’s brand page elaborated on the new line and the mission behind it, sharing the same carousel of photos and explaining, “When we say we support every body, we mean it.”
“We believe in radical self-love for people of all gender identities—including the trans, non-binary, gender-fluid and gender non-conforming communities that have been chronically underserved,” the post continued. “So, we decided to take our expertise and create styles that serve those very same communities.”
The new styles will be available starting late summer 2023.
(NEW YORK) — Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday, becoming the first former president to face criminal charges.
It was not immediately clear what the indictment was connected to, or what charges Trump will face. The indictment is under seal.
Trump is expected to surrender in New York early next week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Here is how the news is developing. All times Eastern. Check back for updates:
Mar 31, 7:49 AM EDT
Trump was ‘shocked’ by indictment, lawyer says
Donald Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, said the former president’s initial reaction to his indictment was “shock,” despite predicting his own arrest “based on rumours and leaks.”
“It was shock because it’s actually coming to fruition,” Tacopina told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in an interview Friday on “Good Morning America.”
“At the end of the day, we were really hoping and he was hoping that the rule of law would’ve prevailed,” he added. “In my opinion — and I don’t say this with pride or pleasure — in my 32 years as a lawyer, both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I feel like the rule of law died yesterday in this country.”
When asked what to expect next week, Tacopina said “it’s a great question.”
“This is unprecedented in this country’s history. I don’t know what to expect other than an arraignment,” he said. “I understand they’re going to be closing off blocks around the courthouse, shutting down the courthouse. You know, we’ll go in there and we’ll proceed to see a judge at some point, plead not guilty, start talking about filing motions, which we will do immediately and very aggressively regarding the legal viability of this case.”
Tacopina noted that “there is really no precedent for this case, [because] this was done with personal money.”
“Statutorily, the law says this: If the payment was made with personal funds and it would’ve been made irrespective of the candidate’s campaign, it’s outside of campaign finance and, clearly, that’s what you have here,” he said.
When asked whether there will be handcuffs, a mugshot or a perp walk, Tacopina responded: “I’m sure they will try to get every ounce of publicity they can out of this thing.”
“The president will not be put in handcuffs,” he added. “As far as a mugshot’s concerned, perp walk, I mean, you know, as I said, I’m sure they’ll try to make sure they get some joy out of this by parading him.”
“But, you know, I think this is a different situation,” he continued. “It is a lot of groups involved here and I don’t think they’re going to allow this to become a circus, as much as humanly possible.”
When asked how concerned he is about this case and the other potential cases Trump could be facing, Tacopina said: “We have to deal with it one at a time.”
“Right now, I’m dealing with this case exclusively and another civil matter for the president, but not the Fulton County case and not the special prosecutor’s case at this point,” he added. “And really, I’m not even thinking about those cases at all. I’m focused — laser focused — on this case and I’ll keep all my attention here until this is resolved.”
Mar 31, 12:00 AM EDT
Trump making phone calls to Republicans on Capitol Hill to firm up support: Sources
Former President Donald Trump has been making calls to Congressional allies on Capitol Hill Thursday night, urging them to go on the offensive and defend him following the news of the indictment by a Manhattan grand jury, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.
Trump has been asking members who support him to firm up their support and rally behind him, the sources said.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Will Steakin and Katherine Faulders
Mar 30, 9:50 PM EDT
Pence, DeSantis and more confirmed or potential 2024 rivals react
Some of Trump’s confirmed or prospective rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination were among those who spoke out Thursday night in the wake of the news of the former president’s indictment.
In an interview with CNN on Thursday night, former Vice President Mike Pence called it an “outrage,” arguing that the case against Trump is “tenuous” and will “only further serve to divide our country.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom sources have told ABC News is expected to launch a presidential campaign in the coming months, tweeted that the indictment was “un-American” and “a weaponization of the legal system,” adding that Florida would “not assist in an extradition request.”
Mar 30, 9:39 PM EDT
Adam Schiff says Oval Office ‘will be tarnished’ by Trump’s conduct
California Rep. Adam Schiff said “it’s a sober moment for the country,” telling Linsey Davis on ABC News Live on Thursday that the dignity of the Oval Office “will be tarnished by the conduct of the former president by his being charged criminally.”
“I think you have to be guided by the facts and the law, and you have to set aside the political calendar and do what the law requires,” said Schiff, a leading Democrat in the House. “I think that’s the obligation of a district attorney, and I think that was done here. How this cuts politically, I really don’t know. That, to me, is very secondary.”
-ABC News’ Imtiyaz Delawala and Anna Katharine Ping
Mar 30, 8:44 PM EDT
Scenes from Manhattan, Mar-a-Lago
Demonstrators gathered outside Manhattan Criminal Court and near Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in the wake of the indictment Thursday evening.
In Manhattan, a giant sign that stated “Trump lies all the time” could be seen unfurled outside Manhattan Criminal Court, where police had erected barricades last week ahead of a possible indictment.
Meanwhile, several supporters gathered near Mar-a-Lago with Trump 2024 flags and signs.
Mar 30, 8:15 PM EDT
Schumer: ‘Trump is subject to the same laws as every American’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged “Trump’s critics and supporters to let the process proceed peacefully and according to the law” in a statement following the indictment of the former president.
“Mr. Trump is subject to the same laws as every American,” Schumer said. “He will be able to avail himself of the legal system and a jury, not politics, to determine his fate according to the facts and the law.”
Mar 30, 7:41 PM EDT
Lawmakers react to historic indictment
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle took to Twitter to react to the historic indictment on Thursday evening, laying bare the sharp partisan divide when it comes to Donald Trump.
GOP House and Senate members decried the investigation by the Manhattan district attorney as a political prosecution.
Many Democrats, on the other hand, praised the decision as proof “no one is above the law.”
-ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler
Mar 30, 7:24 PM EDT
Trump expected to surrender in New York early next week: Sources
Former President Trump is expected to surrender in New York early next week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
While a day has not been firmed up, sources said that Tuesday is the day being discussed by Trump’s legal team and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Mar 30, 7:24 PM EDT
House Speaker McCarthy vows to hold Manhattan DA accountable
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in a tweet that the House GOP will use its power to hold Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg “and his unprecedented abuse of power to account.”
“The American people will not tolerate this injustice,” McCarthy said, adding that Bragg has “weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump.”
House Republicans have requested documents and testimony from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in its investigation of Trump, but Bragg has said he won’t comply.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Mar 30, 7:18 PM EDT
DA’s office has contacted Trump’s attorney ‘to coordinate his surrender’
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said in a statement that it has contacted former President Donald Trump’s attorney “to coordinate his surrender” for arraignment on a state Supreme Court indictment, noting that it remains under seal.
“Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected,” the office said.
Mar 30, 7:00 PM EDT
NYPD officers to deploy across city on Friday
In the wake of the indictment, all officers with the New York Police Department have been ordered to show up in uniform Friday morning for deployments around New York City, police sources told ABC News.
There are no credible threats, according to the mayor’s office.
Mar 30, 6:49 PM EDT
Trump indictment marks unprecedented moment in presidential history
The indictment of Donald Trump marks an unprecedented development in the country’s history — the first time a former president has ever faced criminal charges.
Historians say that not since Richard Nixon had there been the real prospect of a commander-in-chief being formally accused of a crime, though Nixon avoided that fate after being pardoned by successor Gerald Ford.
-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod
Mar 30, 6:42 PM EDT
RNC calls indictment ‘blatant abuse of power’
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called the indictment “a blatant abuse of power from a DA focused on political vengeance.”
“When our justice system is weaponized as a political tool, it endangers all of us,” she tweeted.
Mar 30, 6:36 PM EDT
What to know about an indictment with Trump facing charges
Criminal prosecution proceedings typically start with an arrest and a court appearance, but legal experts say that on many occasions, especially in white-collar crimes, suspects aren’t hit with charges or a visit from an officer until long after an official investigation is underway.
Typically, if a crime is being investigated, law enforcement agents will make an arrest, file initial charges and bring a suspect to be arraigned in court, Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law and the director of the criminal defense and reentry clinic at NYU School of Law, told ABC News.
However, Southerland noted that prosecutors can start with the criminal indictment process in the beginning, especially if their case needs more evidence to press those charges.
Cheryl Bader, an associate clinical professor of law at Fordham University, told ABC News that such a move is common in white-collar criminal investigations that involve looking at delicate nuances in the state law and require more time.
Bader said investigations into prominent figures, such as the current investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office into former President Donald Trump, also prompt prosecutors’ offices to make their case to the grand jury in the most meticulous and thorough way possible.
-ABC News’ Ivan Pereira
Mar 30, 6:28 PM EDT
DNC responds
The Democratic National Committee said in a statement Thursday, “No matter what happens in Trump’s upcoming legal proceedings, it’s obvious the Republican Party remains firmly in the hold of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.”
The DNC vowed, “We will continue to hold Trump and all Republican candidates accountable for the extreme MAGA agenda that includes banning abortion, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and undermining free and fair elections.”
Mar 30, 6:27 PM EDT
Trump could still be elected president despite indictment, experts say
Former President Donald Trump can still be elected president — even if he is convicted — experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said recently at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would “absolutely” stay in the race for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has characterized the probe as part of a “witch hunt” against him.
The U.S. Constitution does not list the absence of a criminal record as a qualification for the presidency.
Constitutional experts also told ABC News that previous Supreme Court rulings hold that Congress cannot add qualifications to the office of the president. In addition, a state cannot prohibit indicted or convicted felons from running for federal office.
-ABC News’ Laura Romero
Mar 30, 6:16 PM EDT
Trump tells ABC News indictment is ‘attack on our country’
Former President Donald Trump told ABC News over the phone that the indictment is “an attack on our country.”
He called it a “political persecution,” adding, “They are trying to impact an election.”
Mar 30, 6:14 PM EDT
Stormy Daniels’ lawyer responds to indictment
Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, Clark Brewster, issued a statement on the indictment, saying: “The indictment of Donald Trump is no cause for joy. The hard work and conscientiousness of the grand jurors must be respected. Now let truth and justice prevail. No one is above the law.”
While the indictment remains under seal, Trump had been under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney over a $130,000 payment he made to the adult film actress to keep her from going public with a claim of an affair, which he denies.
Mar 30, 6:03 PM EDT
Trump’s indictment could mark turning point in 2024 campaign, even if he says otherwise: ANALYSIS
Donald Trump being formally accused of a crime could change the outlook for the still-forming field of Republican presidential candidates in 2024 — either rallying primary voters primed by his talk of the “deep state” and “retribution” or opening up an unprecedented line of criticism for Trump’s rivals.
The indictment itself isn’t disqualifying, legally speaking. The U.S. Constitution doesn’t prevent people under indictment or criminal investigation from running for the White House, experts have told ABC News, so the former president could still be reelected despite the indictment — and would still be eligible even if it leads to a conviction, regardless of practical obstacles like potential incarceration.
Mar 30, 5:34 PM EDT
Trump indicted
ABC News has learned that former president Donald Trump has been indicted, according to multiple sources with knowledge.
Mar 28, 9:29 PM EDT
Grand jury expected to meet Thursday on other matters: Sources
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump will not convene on Wednesday and is expected to meet Thursday on other matters, sources familiar with the situation told ABC News.
The proceeding is conducted in secret and the grand jury could be presented with evidence or vote at any time.
Mar 27, 4:30 PM EDT
Former publisher of the National Enquirer seen leaving DA’s office
David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, was seen leaving the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office with his lawyer on Monday.
Pecker testified before the grand jury for about an hour, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Pecker, who allegedly helped arrange the payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, previously spoke to the grand jury in January.
The district attorney’s office may have called Pecker to bolster Michael Cohen’s earlier testimony about the purpose of the payment.
Mar 27, 7:29 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Monday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Monday, sources tell ABC News.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky
Mar 26, 4:48 PM EDT
GOP oversight chair defends getting involved in NY Trump probe
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Sunday defended taking the escalatory step of getting Congress involved in the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation of Donald Trump by using his position to request answers from the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg.
“If Mr. Bragg wants to come in and explain to us what he what he’s doing, and he makes a good explanation, he makes a good argument and we see that we’re in an area where we shouldn’t belong, such as the Republicans — some of the Republican senators — say, then we will back off,” Comer, R-Ky., said on CNN. But, he added, “I don’t believe that Bragg would be doing this if Donald Trump were not running for president, and that’s something that we would like to ask Mr. Bragg as well.”
Pushed by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who said Bragg is investigating potential violations of state and not federal crimes, Comer said, “This is about politics. This is a presidential candidate.”
Comer insisted that he would be more accepting of the investigation if it was being brought by the Department of Justice rather than a local district attorney, though he later said he wanted all “meddling” to end.
Bragg’s office has signaled that they may be moving closer to a charging decision — such as for falsifying business records, sources have said — in relation to $130,000 that Trump paid the adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election in order to prevent her from going public with an affair claim.
Trump denies all wrongdoing, including a relationship with Daniels.
He falsely said that he would be arrested last week and has urged protests.
-ABC News’ Adam Carlson and Cheyenne Haslett
Mar 25, 7:46 PM EDT
Republicans urge Alvin Bragg to comply with their request for documents, testimony
In a new letter Saturday, the Republican leaders of three powerful House committees responded to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s rebuff of their request for documents and testimony related to the Trump probe.
Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Brian Steil argued in the 8-page letter they have legislative purpose for demanding such material.
Bragg’s office pushed back against the chairmen’s original request on March 20, stating it would “not be intimidated by attempts to undermine the justice process.”
Leslie Dubeck, Bragg’s general counsel, responded that it was “an unlawful incursion into New York’s sovereignty.”
In a new statement Saturday, Bragg’s office said it is “not appropriate for Congress to interfere with pending local investigations.”
“This unprecedented inquiry by federal elected officials into an ongoing matter serves only to hinder, disrupt and undermine the legitimate work of our dedicated prosecutors,” his office said.
Read more about the GOP request for information on the Trump case here.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Mar 24, 10:30 PM EDT
Mayor Adams’ office condemns threat to DA Bragg
A spokesman for New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement Friday evening condemning the threatening letter sent to District Attorney Alvin Bragg that included powder later deemed non-hazardous.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of any ongoing investigation, no public official should ever be subject to threats for doing his or her job,” the statement read.
The spokesman added, “I’m confident that every elected official in the City, including Manhattan DA Bragg, will continue to do their work undeterred, and anyone found to be engaging in illegal conduct will be brought to justice.”
Mar 24, 5:35 PM EDT
DA Bragg stresses ‘safety’ for staff after threat sent to him
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg thanked his staff for their “strength and professionalism” in an email sent Friday and reassured them the powder sent to him in a letter discovered earlier in the day was not hazardous.
The email, which was obtained by ABC News, was sent to Bragg’s 1,600-member staff about three hours after the letter was discovered in a basement mail room on Friday.
“I want to reiterate my message from Saturday: your safety is our top priority,” the email said, referring to an earlier message to staff obtained by ABC News that followed former President Donald Trump’s social media call for protest and an inaccurate prediction he would be arrested on Tuesday.
The latest message revealed that some in the office had received “offensive or threatening phone calls or emails” and Bragg apologized for what he called the “distressing disruptions.”
Bragg concluded with his often-repeated vow to apply the law evenly and fairly.
He also mentioned a film shoot occurring this weekend outside the courthouse at 60 Centre St. could include simulated explosions.
Mar 24, 4:33 PM EDT
Letter threatening to kill ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office: Sources
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The powder was determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
Inside the envelope was a letter containing the typewritten message, “Alvin: I am going to kill you,” with 13 exclamation points, according to sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:12 PM EDT
White powder addressed to ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The contents of the envelope were determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:08 PM EDT
Trump escalating attacks on Manhattan DA
Former President Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his staff. Overnight, Trump posted on social media that if he were to be indicted it could result in “potential death and destruction.”
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Mar 23, 11:31 AM EDT
DA says compliance with GOP’s requests for information would interfere with investigation
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s general counsel responded to House Republicans Thursday, telling them compliance with their requests for information would interfere with a legitimate law enforcement investigation.
General counsel Leslie Dubeck noted the House inquiry only resulted from former President Donald Trump’s social media post.
“Your letter dated March 20, 2023 (the “Letter”), in contrast, is an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution,” Dubeck wrote. “The Letter only came after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested the next day and his lawyers reportedly urged you to intervene. Neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry.”
Mar 23, 9:50 AM EDT
Grand jury won’t meet about Trump case this week
The grand jury hearing evidence of former President Donald Trump’s role in alleged hush money paid to Stormy Daniels will not meet about the case for the remainder of the week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The grand jury is meeting Thursday to consider a different case, the sources said. The grand jury news was first reported by Business Insider.
The grand jury is expected to reconvene Monday to consider the Trump case, at which time at least one additional witness may be called to testify, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment.
It is not uncommon for grand juries to sit in consideration of multiple cases at once.
Mar 23, 7:37 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Thursday, sources tell ABC News.
Mar 23, 5:28 AM EDT
Trump could still be elected president if indicted or convicted, experts say
According to law, former President Donald Trump can be elected president if indicted — or even convicted — in any of the state and federal investigations he is currently facing, experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said earlier this month at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would “absolutely” run for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
“I wouldn’t even think about leaving,” Trump told reporters ahead of a speech. “Probably it will enhance my numbers.”
Mar 22, 12:51 PM EDT
Manhattan grand jury to reconvene as early as Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump in connection to the Stormy Daniels hush payment investigation is not meeting on Wednesday, sources told ABC News. The earliest the grand jury would reconvene is Thursday, sources said.
The grand jurors were called Wednesday morning and told they were not needed during the day as scheduled, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The grand jurors were told to be prepared to reconvene on Thursday when it’s possible they will hear from at least one additional witness, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment, citing a policy of not discussing grand jury matters.
-ABC News’ John Santucci and Luke Barr
Mar 22, 8:25 AM EDT
With Trump case looming, what is an indictment?
Criminal prosecution proceedings typically start with an arrest and a court appearance, but legal experts say that on many occasions, especially in white collar crimes, suspects aren’t hit with charges or a visit from an officer until long after an official investigation is underway.
Typically, if a crime is being investigated, law enforcement agents will make an arrest, file initial charges and bring a suspect to be arraigned in court, Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law and the director of the criminal defense and reentry clinic at NYU School of Law, told ABC News.
After this arraignment, prosecutors would impanel a grand jury for a formal criminal indictment. Southerland, who has been practicing law in New York state for 19 years, said this process includes giving the jury evidence, possible testimony and other exhibits before they can officially charge a person with felonies.
A Manhattan grand jury is currently investigating Trump’s possible role in the hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The former president has denied any wrongdoing and having an affair with Daniels. His attorneys have framed the funds as a response to an extortion plot.
-ABC News’ Ivan Pereira
Mar 21, 6:11 PM EDT
Pence discourages protests if Trump indicted
Former Vice President Mike Pence discouraged any protests should a grand jury indict Donald Trump.
“Every American has the right to let their voice be heard. The Constitution provides the right to peaceably assemble. But I think in this instance, I would discourage Americans from engaging in protests if in fact the former president is indicted,” Pence said Tuesday when asked by ABC News if Americans should protest a possible indictment.
Pence said he understood the “frustration” while calling the case “politically motivated.”
“But I think letting our voices be heard in other ways, and in not engaging in protests, I think is most prudent at this time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Libby Cathey
Mar 21, 11:00 AM EDT
McCarthy grows frustrated as Trump questions persist at House GOP retreat
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy again ripped into Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg when asked about the potential charges against former President Donald Trump at a Tuesday press conference at the House GOP retreat in Orlando.
When McCarthy was asked directly if had concerns about Trump’s alleged conduct regarding the alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, he didn’t answer the question and instead pivoted to talking about Hillary Clinton and Bragg.
“What we see before us is a political game being played by a local. Look, this isn’t New York City, this is just a Manhattan,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said he hasn’t spoken to Trump in three weeks.
When asked if Trump is still the leader of the Republican Party, McCarthy took a jab at the press: “In the press room, for all of you, he is.”
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin
Mar 21, 10:14 AM EDT
Grand jury to reconvene on Wednesday
A grand jury will reconvene on Wednesday to continue to weigh charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into the 2016 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, paid $130,000 to Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign to allegedly keep her from talking about an affair she claimed to have had with Trump.
Trump has denied the affair and his attorneys have framed the funds as an extortion payment.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is mulling whether to charge Trump with falsifying business records, after the Trump Organization allegedly reimbursed Cohen for the payment then logged the reimbursement as a legal expense, sources have told ABC News. Trump has called the payment “a private contract between two parties” and has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump this weekend wrote on his Truth Social platform that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday.
The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating security plans with the NYPD in the event of an indictment and arraignment in an open courtroom in Manhattan, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The two agencies had a call Monday to discuss logistics, including court security and how Trump would potentially surrender for booking and processing, according to sources briefed on the discussions. White collar criminal defendants in New York are typically allowed to negotiate a surrender.
Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba is on the mend after undergoing appendectomy surgery.
“I had an emergency appendectomy last week and while it’s been quite a painful experience, I also know it’s a gift to even feel this pain. I realize after speaking with my doctor that it could have been much worse,” Inaba, 55, shared Thursday on Instagram, alongside a compilation video of her four-day hospital stay, set to Meghan Trainor‘s “Me Too.”
“Appendicitis attacks happen suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere. And when you are in that much pain, the last thing you want to do is go anywhere. And when you have [an] autoimmune disease, you are often having strange health occurrences that no one can explain or help you with so sometimes, you try to wait it out, like I did. I was wrong,” says Inaba.
She went on to say that she felt a pain in her abdomen and “sudden and violent vomiting that knocked me off my feet.”
“I should have gone when I couldn’t stand without excruciating pain… but I honestly didn’t want to leave my babies, and I’m so accustomed to pain — thought I should let it play out,” she added.
“If you have pain in your abdomen, please have it checked out because it could be something very serious,” she warned.
Inaba concluded the post by thanking the staff at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles for taking care of her, adding, “Thankfully, my appendix will not be bothering me anymore.”
Carrie Ann received well-wishes from her fans and DWTS colleagues, including fellow judge Derek Hough, who replied in the comments section.
“Get well soon,” he wrote. “I had that a few years ago. Glad you got it taken care of. Feel better.”
(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump’s indictment by a New York City grand jury was historic — and quickly dismissed by him as politically motivated persecution — and now opponents in his party are weighing in.
Trump was indicted and is expected to surrender early next week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News on Thursday.
The charge or charges against him are not yet known while the indictment remains under seal, though he has been under investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign, to keep Daniels from going public with a claim of an affair that he denies.
Congressional Republicans quickly came to Trump’s defense after the news broke, with many echoing his view that Bragg’s actions are partisan.
Some of Trump’s confirmed or prospective rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination also spoke out.
In an interview with CNN later Thursday, Mike Pence called it an “outrage,” arguing that the case against Trump is “tenuous” and will “only further serve to divide our country.”
“It appears to millions of Americans to be nothing more than a political prosecution,” Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president and is weighing his own 2024 bid, said on CNN. He went on to say it “offends” the ideals of fair and equal treatment under the law.
Pressed by anchor Wolf Blitzer, Pence said that “no one is above the law, including former presidents … and the American people know this.” But he maintained that this case was different.
He declined to say if Trump should be disqualified or drop out of the 2024 race if he is convicted but also said that there is “no reason for calling for people to be protesting” the indictment, despite Trump’s statements otherwise.
He also said there was “harsh language on either side” that was “unacceptable.”
Pence said that the development had “no bearing” on whether he will seek the GOP nod next year himself and likened the matter to an example of the news media’s “obsession” with Trump while, in his own travels across the country, “Not one person raised this issue” compared with the Biden administration’s “failed policies.”
His reaction was shared by other leading conservatives already in the White House race — and those who might join.
“This is more about revenge than it is justice,” former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley tweeted shortly after the indictment. Haley announced her presidential candidacy in mid-February.
Attached to her tweet was a video of a previous appearance on Fox News, in which she alleged Bragg was looking to score “political points.”
“I think the country would be better off talking about things that the American public cares about than to sit there and have to deal with some political revenge by political people in New York,” she said at the time.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who is seen as a potential Republican presidential candidate, argued in his own reaction that Bragg “has failed to uphold the law for violent criminals, yet weaponized the law against political enemies.”
“This is a travesty and it should not be happening in the greatest country on Earth. The presumption of innocence is central to our legal system, yet is selectively discarded by those on the far left today,” Scott said.
Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has said he is weighing a presidential campaign, tweeted Thursday that “prosecuting serious crimes keeps Americans safe, but political prosecutions put the American legal system at risk of being viewed as a tool for abuse. DA Bragg – spend taxpayers’ money and your energy protecting law-abiding citizens. Not playing politics.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, a businessman and another Republican candidate for president, posted his reaction in a Twitter video.
“This is wrong. This is dangerous,” he said. “We are skating on thin ice as a country right now.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom sources have told ABC News is expected to launch a presidential campaign in the coming months, tweeted that the indictment was “un-American” and “a weaponization of the legal system.”
Florida, he wrote, would “not assist in an extradition request.”
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is also considered a possible 2024 contender, called it a “dark day for America” but said the New York City jury must have found evidence to support the unprecedented move.
“While the grand jury found credible facts to support the charges, it is important that the presumption of innocence follows Mr. Trump,” Hutchinson said a statement. “We need to wait on the facts and for our American system of justice to work like it does for thousands of Americans every day.”
A spokesperson for Bragg’s office said Thursday: “This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal. Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Aaron Katersky and John Santucci contributed to this report.
LFO member Brian “Brizz” Gillis has died at at the age of 47, his former bandmate Brad Fischetti confirmed Thursday.
“Every story is made up of chapters. Some develop naturally. Some you have to cut up in your mind. The first two chapters of the LFO story lost a main character yesterday. Brian ‘Brizz’ Gillis passed away,” Fischetti shared in a lengthy Instagram post alongside a throwback photo of the late singer.
Fischetti went on to share that he did not have details of the death, but admitted that he was “struggling to process this tragic loss.” He also reflected on the ’90s pop band, of which he is the only remaining living member. Fellow LFO member Devin Lima died in 2018 at age 41 after having surgery to remove a tumor caused by stage-four adrenal cancer. The band’s founder, Rich Cronin, died at age 36 from leukemia.
“My relationship with Brian was complex. It contained moments of great tribulation but also of great joy,” Fischetti continued. “I learned a lot from him about the business of music and how to put together and rock a show. And it’s those positive aspects of our relationship that I will lean on now and forever.
“I’ve prayed for Brian every day for many years. And I will continue to pray for him, for his beloved father, for his friends, his family, and those who loved him. Special prayers for Pistol Pete and Terry Edwards; two men who hold a special place in my heart and undoubtedly held a special place in Brian’s heart.”
“I know that soon or maybe already, Brizz will be greeted by Rich and Devin. And I hope that together, they will make some sweet sounds. I would really like that,” he concluded. “Rest east bro. Rest easy.”
(LONDON) — The Russian Federation will on April 1 take over the presidency of the U.N. Security Council, a shift in power that may seem extraordinary amid the war in Ukraine.
Despite the international condemnation and the allegations of President Vladimir Putin’s forces committing crimes against humanity in Ukraine, it will be Russia’s turn next month to step into the leadership position, which changes on a monthly basis.
Russia holds the power of veto on Security Council resolutions, something that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized last year, when he said the bloc should act decisively or “dissolve itself” after the atrocities committed in Bucha came to light.
“We are dealing with a state that is turning the veto of the United Nations Security Council into the right to die,” he said.
A year on from Zelenskyy’s address, Russia’s membership remains entrenched, as the country sits as a permanent member along with the U.S., France, the U.K. and China. But as Russia is set to take the presidency, one group of lawyers and diplomats is trying to block the move — and kick Russia out of the U.N. entirely.
“If we let Russia’s aggression stand, if Russia gains what it is seeking to gain out of its aggression against Ukraine, really the entire framework that we set up in 1945 is at risk,” Thomas Grant, professor at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law and a member of Civic Hub, the organization seeking to eject Russia, told ABC News. “We think that the grounds for doing this are extremely strong.”
The organization started as a group of academics and lawyers, but now boasts sitting Ukrainian lawmakers and diplomats in its ranks. They concede that the idea Russia will be booted out of the U.N. entirely is a long shot, but they said they hope at the least to stop Russia from securing the presidency in April. They also want to call Russia’s membership on the U.N. Security Council into question.
The group have yet to submit their formal legal challenge, but say they are adamant that the invasion of Ukraine has posed a major challenge to the composition of the U.N.
“There is a famous saying among the members of the Security Council that the Security Council is the master of its own procedures,” Volodymyr Yelchenko, the former Ukrainian ambassador to U.S. and Russia and member of Civic Hub, told ABC News. “They’re very vague.”
For their prospective legal case, he said, their efforts to lobby in Washington, Paris and London, are more important to their case than going to the Security Council directly, members said.
The political argument has perhaps been strengthened by the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for Putin. There’s also a U.N. resolution calling for Russia’s immediate withdrawal. Those are indications the international community may be responsive to the Civic Hub’s proposal, they said.
“It’s that sort of aggression that is simply not tolerable. If what you want is basic predictability [and security] among countries in their relations … then it’s vital that Russia be identified as an aggressor that ought not be sitting in the principal security organ of the U.N.,” Grant said. “That’s the political case to be made.”
Civic Hub’s legal case, which they hope will compel the U.N. to act, however, is completely different.
Rather than formally requesting U.N. membership in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia merely inherited their member status, they said.
“Russia has never joined the U.N. in the proper way,” Professor Iouri Loutsenko, a former senior staffer at the World Bank and the one of the co-founders of Civic Hub, told ABC News. “And this is a legal factor is undisputable.”
According to Loutsenko, the group has not received “straight answers” from the U.N. as they have lobbied for their proposal. But, if they were successful, Russia would be denied a voice on the world’s highest diplomatic stage.
“Russia [would] still have a flag in front of New York headquarters,” Grant said. “Its diplomats would still have key cards or whatever they used to get into the building, but they wouldn’t sit in the seats. They would not cast votes, they would not speak from the seat, and they would not be using the council as a broadcast platform for their messaging. So that would be the result.”
By exploiting that legal position, the group hope to isolate Russia even further from the international community, helping end the war in Ukraine and leading to change from within.
