(NEW YORK) — Newer generation fighter jets are giving Russia “increasing dominance” in the skies over the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
It is a potentially worrying shift for the United States and its allies because Russia’s inability to achieve total air superiority throughout the course of the war has been key to Ukrainian successes on the battlefield.
In a briefing last week with journalists, a Western official downplayed the concern, stating that Russia’s ability to control the skies has been limited by air defense and surface-to-air missiles.
“We’re not seeing a huge change in that situation,” the official said.
The senior official in Kyiv, who spoke exclusively to ABC News, said Russia had replaced older models of aircraft with its more modern Su-35.
The Su-35 is equipped “with very effective radar and long-distance rockets,” the official said, and Russia is using these aircraft to attack Ukrainian jets in the air as well as for ground support operations.
Ukraine “does not have capabilities” to counter this threat, the official added.
“[Russian] air superiority is a real risk,” the official said, adding that more air defense systems from the United States and its allies is currently “priority No. 1” for Ukraine.
Two other Ukrainian officials confirmed that Russian dominance of the skies over the combat zone was a top issue, with one official claiming Russia has “12 times more aircraft” than Ukraine.
“This is a problem,” one official said. “What we keep telling the Americans is that in the end, there is no other solution than to give us [Western] fighter jets.”
The Biden administration has so far resisted calls to supply Ukraine with F-16s.
Asked if he was open to the idea, President Biden said “no” in January.
Discussions are ongoing between Ukraine and NATO countries about the supply of modern fighter aircraft.
Two Ukrainian pilots have been taking part in an assessment in Arizona on flight simulators in order to ascertain how much training they would need if they were to adapt to Western fighter jets.
Retired Col. Steve Ganyard, who is also an ABC News contributor, said he believes Russia’s air superiority may largely come down to numbers.
“Sometimes quantity can be better than quality,” Ganyard said. “Being short on aircraft and anti-aircraft systems is putting Ukraine at increasing disadvantage.”
Last week Slovakia said it had handed over the first four of 11 Soviet-era Mig fighter jets which it had promised to Ukraine.
Poland has also promised to supply a number of Mig fighter jets to Ukraine.
On a trip to London last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a very public plea for Western fighter jets.
The senior Ukrainian official who spoke to ABC News suggested there was now more of an acceptance in Kyiv that U.S. military aid should be focused on other priorities such as air defense systems and the provision of artillery ammunition.
The official recognized that the supply of modern fighter jets, as well as the missiles to go with them, would require “a huge amount of money” and it could only come from the United states at the expense of other types of military aid.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING
INTERLEAGUE
Houston 24, St. Louis 1
Baltimore 4, Philadelphia 2
Chi Cubs 5, Kansas City 0
Colorado 4, Chi White Sox 2
Cleveland 3, Cincinnati 2
Final San Francisco 9, Oakland 5
LA Dodgers 3, LA Angels 0
Seattle 5, San Diego 5 (Tie)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
NY Yankees 6, Toronto 2
Minnesota 7, Boston 2
Detroit 11, Tampa Bay 10
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta 8, Pittsburgh 1
Cincinnati 7, Colorado 5
Washington 2, Miami 2 (Tie)
Arizona 4, Milwaukee 4
Miami 3, N.Y. Mets 3 (Tie)
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Charlotte 110, Dallas 104
Chicago 118, LA Lakers 108
Boston 137, San Antonio 93
Toronto 114, Washington 104
Cleveland 108, Houston 91
Orlando 119, Brooklyn 106
Memphis 123, Atlanta 119
Oklahoma City 118, Portland 112
Minnesota 99, Golden State 96
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Los Angeles 7, St. Louis 6
Colorado 4, Arizona 3 (SO)
Boston 4 Carolina 3 (SO)
Toronto 3, Nashville 2
Vancouver 4, Chicago 2
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Miami 88, Texas 81
San Diego St. 57, Creighton 56
from left to right: Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, John McFee. Photo by Clay Patrick McBride
The Doobie Brothers resume their 50th anniversary tour this week, and guitarist and co-founder Tom Johnston says the most important thing about the shows is the people who come to see them.
“The thing that keeps everything fresh is the crowd,” he tells ABC Audio. “Each night a crowd can react differently in a different part of the country and you don’t really know what that’s gonna be like.”
Johnston says most fans are there to hear the classic Doobie hits like “Listen to the Music,” “China Grove,” “Takin’ to the Streets” and more, and he’s OK with that. “You would think you get tired of those,” he says. “The one thing that keeps those fresh is the reaction from the crowd, so it’s like playing them for the first time every night.”
This leg of the tour will hit Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, and while Johnston expects most audiences to react similarly to those in the U.S., that’s not the case in Japan.
“They have a whole unique way of responding,” he says. “They’re very polite, they listen to what you’re doing, and they applaud like crazy and then they stop, and they sit down and they’re quiet.” He adds, “It’s something you had to get used to, but that’s the way they are, and it’s, it’s kind of cool.”
The Doobie Brothers, featuring Johnston, PatSimmons, John McFee and Micheal McDonald, return to the road March 29 in Singapore and bring their 50th anniversary tour back to the States in May. A complete list of tour dates can be found at thedoobiebrothers.com.
John Wick: Chapter 4 blew away the competition at the North American box office, opening with an estimated $73.5 million. The latest chapter in the action series, led by Keanu Reeves, recorded a franchise-best debut, topping the previous series high of $56.8 million set by John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Internationally, John Wick: Chapter 4 collected an estimated $64 million, bringing its global tally to $137.5 million.
Shazam: Fury of the Gods dipped to second place, with an estimated $9.7 million, bringing its current domestic total to $46 million.
Third place belonged to Scream VI, delivering an estimated $8.4 million. The latest installment in the slasher franchise has grossed $89.8 million in North America and another $49.4 million internationally after three weeks.
Creed III landed in fourth place with an estimated $8.36 million at the domestic box office, bringing its four-week tally to $140.8 million. The third Creed movie added another $105 million at the international box office for a global haul of $245.8 million..
Rounding out the top five was the prehistoric thriller 65, grabbing an estimated $3.2 million in its third week of release. Its domestic tally now stands at $27.8 million.
Following his arrest in an alleged domestic assault incident Saturday, Jonathan Majors’ attorney released a statement denying allegations of wrongdoing.
“Jonathan Majors is completely innocent … We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the District Attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently,” Priya Chaudhry, Majors’ attorney, said in a statement Sunday.
Chaudhry said the evidence includes video footage from the vehicle where the alleged assault occurred, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the alleged incident, “and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations.”
“The NYPD is required to make an arrest in these situations, and this is the only reason Mr. Majors was arrested. We expect these charges to be dropped soon,” Chaudhry’s statement said.
Police officers initially responded to a 911 call Majors made himself, purportedly over concerns about his girlfriend, with whom he lives in a penthouse apartment in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, police sources told ABC News.
The girlfriend, whose name was not released, told officers she and Majors were in a taxi on their way home from a bar in Brooklyn when, she alleged, he physically attacked her, the sources said.
Majors was charged with two misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault, second-degree aggravated harassment, second-degree harassment and third-degree attempted assault.
He appeared briefly in court, and a judge released him on his own recognizance. His next court date is May 8.
Repercussions over the Creed III actor’s arrest have already started. The U.S. Army Enterprise Marketing Office announced Sunday that it is pulling two advertisements Majors appears in as part of the army’s “Be All You Can Be” recruitment campaign.
(EAGLE PASS, Texas.) — A desperate 911 call made from a freight train led Texas authorities to 12 migrants trapped inside a stifling boxcar, including one who was pronounced dead at the scene and three others in need of hospitalization, officials said.
The discovery was made on Saturday afternoon near Eagle Pass, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border and came a day after 17 migrants were found locked in a “suffocating” train freight container in Uvalde County, including two who perished, authorities said.
Saturday’s incident unfolded about 4:30 p.m. at a Union Pacific rail yard, when someone from inside a boxcar parked at the yard called 911, a Union Pacific spokesperson said.
One migrant was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other migrants were taken to a Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center in Eagle Pass for treatment, according to the Eagle Pass Fire Department.
Union Pacific said it contacted the U.S. Border Patrol, which detained the eight additional survivors.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a human smuggling investigation. No arrests have been announced.
The Mexican Consulate of Eagle Pass released statement, saying it was aware of the incident. The migrant who died in the episode was an adult Mexican national, according to the consulate.
The others migrants rescued were from Ecuador, Mexico, Honduras, and Colombia, the consulate said.
The incident came a day after 17 migrants were discovered in a Union Pacific freight train container near Knippa, Texas, in Uvalde County, including two men who died, according to a statement from the Uvalde Police Department
Police were notified by an unidentified third-party caller that there were numerous migrants trapped inside the “suffocating” container. The U.S. Border Patrol was to able to get the train stopped alongside Highway 90 near Knippa and discovered the migrants, authorities said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Department of Homeland Security are investigating the incident.
(BATON ROUGE, La.) — A Baton Rouge police helicopter crashed Sunday in West Baton Rouge Parish, killing two local police officers, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.
“The incident is currently being investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, as well as other entities that regulate aviation and airspace travel,” the Baton Rouge Police Department said.
Authorities said the BRPD helicopter crashed into a cane field off North Winterville Road, just off U.S. Highway 190.
According to flight data, the helicopter took off from Baton Rouge Metro airport at 2:26 a.m. and was slated to arrive at the Omni Airport at 3:38 a.m. Sources told local ABC affiliate WBRZ the helicopter was eventually found around 11:30 a.m. after the pilots did not come home from work.
Sources told WBRZ that the helicopter was pursuing a vehicle that was running from police when the crash occurred.
Following the news of the tragic accident, the Baton Rouge Police Department released a statement. “The entire BRPD family extends our deepest sympathy to the families, friends and all those touched by these officers’ lives and service,” the statement read.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Kremlin Press Office / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
(MOSCOW) — U.S. officials and lawmakers reacted with a mix of caution and concern this weekend in the wake of comments from Russian President Vladimir Putin that he would be moving tactical nuclear weapons into neighboring Belarus, which provided a crucial staging ground for the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s government denounced such a move as a provocation and called for a U.N. Security Council meeting.
Speaking on Russian TV on Saturday, Putin insisted that the reason for the decision, reached with the agreement of Belarus, was the U.K. supplying depleted uranium shells to Ukraine, though British officials have called such munitions “a standard component and … nothing to do with nuclear weapons.”
The weapons Putin would move into Belarus would be less powerful and with a shorter range than other kinds of nuclear weapons; he said the storage necessary for them would be ready by July.
“We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crew,” Putin said on TV.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said later Saturday that the U.S. hasn’t seen any indications Russia is going to imminently use a nuclear weapon and will not be changing its own posture.
“We have seen reports of Russia’s announcement and will continue to monitor the implications,” Watson said, adding, “We remain committed to the collective defense of the NATO alliance.”
The State Department responded similarly, with a spokesperson saying in a statement that “Russia and Belarus have talked about doing this for some time.”
“This could be political signaling on Belarus Freedom Day, which is celebrated by the democratic opposition to the Lukashenka regime,” the spokesperson said, referring to Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko.
White House spokesperson John Kirby said Sunday that “we have not seen any indication he’s [Putin] made good on this pledge or moved any nuclear weapons around.”
“We’ve, in fact, seen no indication he has any intention to use nuclear weapons — period — inside Ukraine,” Kirby said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “Obviously, we would agree that no nuclear war should be fought, no nuclear war could be won and clearly that would cross a major threshold.”
Appearing on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Rep. Mike Gallagher said Putin’s remarks amounted to posturing but were troubling nonetheless.
“Putin has engaged in nuclear saber-rattling since the start of this crisis. It is something to be concerned about, but we should not allow his threat to deter us,” said Gallagher, R-Wis. “We can’t allow that to be a cause for delaying critical weapon systems that we need to deliver to the Ukrainians.”
The risk of nuclear weapons being used has reemerged on the world stage since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
U.S. President Joe Biden said at a fundraiser in October that Putin was “not joking when he talks about the use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons” and that “we have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis” in the 1960s.
Kirby subsequently said on “This Week” in October that Biden was reflecting the very high “stakes” of the conflict rather than immediate danger.
“We are monitoring this as best we can, and we have been monitoring his nuclear capabilities, frankly, since he invaded Ukraine back in February,” Kirby said then.
Putin declared last month that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START treaty, first signed in 2010 and extended in 2021, which implements caps on the number of nuclear weapons deployed by Russia and the U.S. and inspections of nuclear sites.
He blamed NATO support for Ukraine.
Soon after, Biden told ABC News anchor David Muir that Putin had made a “big mistake.”
“Not very responsible. But I don’t read into that that he’s thinking of using nuclear weapons or anything like that,” Biden said.
ABC News’ Tal Axelrod, Cheyenne Haslett, Matt Seyler, Tanya Stukalova and Edward Szekeres contributed to this report.
(PHILADELPHIA) — A nearby chemical spill in Philadelphia has local residents on high alert, after officials initially recommended that residents use bottled water “out of an abundance of caution.”
The city of Philadelphia on Sunday said the tap water is safe until “at least through 11:59 p.m. Monday,” because the water “currently available to customers was treated before the spill reached Philadelphia.”
“There is no need to buy water at this time,” the city said. “Customers can fill bottles or pitchers with tap water with no risk at this time.”
The initial recommendation came after a spill in nearby Bucks County on Friday due to a ruptured pipe at a chemical plant, officials had said.
Although residents were urged to use bottled water, city officials said contaminants “have not been found” in the local water system.
An estimated 8,100 gallons of latex finishing material, a water-soluble acrylic polymer solution, was released into Otter Creek in Bristol, Pennsylvania, on Friday. Officials said Saturday the release was due to a pipe rupture at a nearby chemical plant, Trinseo PLC.
“It’s like the material you find in paint,” said senior vice president of manufacturing and engineering at Trinseo, Tim Thomas, according to ABC Philadelphia station WPVI. “It’s your typical acrylic paint you have in your house, that’s what really this material is, in a water base.”
As testing on the city’s water continues, officials said that besides finding no contaminants in the water, the health risks are “very low if present at all.”
No acute effects are associated with low-level exposure, the city said.
“Our best information is that people who ingest water will not suffer any near-term symptoms or acute medical conditions,” Philadelphia officials said.” We foresee no reason to seek medical attention related to this event.”
The Coast Guard announced the chemical spill, as well as its efforts to help that include coordinating with local and federal agencies to investigate the incident.
“We are working with the responsible party and local and federal agencies to ensure a safe response effort,” Capt. Jonathan Theel, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, said in a statement. “We are also working with our State counterparts in Pennsylvania.”
Currently, the Coast Guard has not received any calls of injured or affected wildlife.
(NEW YORK) — A grand jury is continuing 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.
No current or former president has ever been indicted for criminal conduct.
Here is how the news is developing. All times Eastern. Check back for updates:
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.
