(WASHINGTON) — Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, condemned the assault on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s, D-Calif., husband Paul Pelosi, calling it “despicable” and “unacceptable.”
In an interview on “This Week” Sunday, Scott told anchor Martha Raddatz that he had explored allowing campaign funds to be used for security and called for a more civilized public discourse.
“Well, we’ve got to figure out how to bring our country back together where we have a civil conversation and we have no violence. I mean, what happened to Paul Pelosi is despicable, it’s unacceptable,” he said.
“One thing I did when I got this job in January 2021, I went to the Federal Election Commission and said, ‘could our senators and House members, could they use their campaign dollars to pay for security for themselves and their family?'” Scott told Raddatz. “Unfortunately, it’s become a more dangerous place, and we’ve got to do everything we can to lower the rhetoric have a civil conversation, but also make sure people are safe.”
Scott’s remarks come after Paul Pelosi was attacked at his and the speaker’s home in San Francisco by a man who entered the house saying, “where’s Nancy” before striking Paul Pelosi with a hammer, police said. Paul Pelosi underwent successful surgery for a skull fracture and other injuries and is anticipated to make a full recovery.
Several Republicans condemned the assault — though former President Donald Trump has remained silent — and the attacker, identified as 42-year-old David Depape, has been charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and elderly abuse.
Looking toward the midterms, Scott also boasted that the GOP could hold as many as 52 Senate seats in the next Congress, saying he was eyeing flips in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and New Hampshire as well as possibly in Connecticut, Colorado and Washington. Scott also said Pennsylvania’s Senate race between Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, D, and GOP nominee Mehmet Oz is the “hardest” of the GOP seats to hold, but still expressed confidence.
“The Democrat agenda is very unpopular,” Scott said. “Turnout looks better for the Republicans than Democrats. So, I’m very optimistic that we’re going to win. We have great candidates.”
“I think the Democrats are going to get a rude awakening on November 8.”
When pressed by Raddatz on whether a Republican-controlled Congress would focus on investigating the Biden administration, Scott said a priority would be placed on economic issues as well as culture war battles like on immigration and support for law enforcement.
“What would you hope is that we figure out how to get inflation down. That means we have to live within our means. What you hope is that we get a secure border, we can get some immigration reform done, but you can’t do without a secure border. You hope that we start supporting law enforcement,” he said. “So, I’m hopeful that Republicans will pass good legislation and Joe Biden will sign it.”
Scott also advocated for some tighter voting laws to restore what he said was dropping public confidence in elections’ integrity despite no evidence of the widespread fraud alleged by some Republicans.
“I’ve tried make sure we make sure people feel comfortable that we have free and fair elections,” he said. “We’ve got to do that by passing ID laws, making sure we don’t have ballot harvesting, make sure we have monitored drop boxes.”
(WASHINGTON) — About half of Americans say either the economy or inflation is the most important issue in their vote for Congress, making pocketbook issues by far the most dominant in the run up to the midterm elections, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.
Taken individually, 26% identify the economy as their single most important issue determining their vote while 23% cite inflation. Nearly three out of four Republicans point to the two economic concerns as a priority, compared to only 29% of Democrats per the ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel.
Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to say abortion, gun violence and climate change are the top reasons for their vote, according to the poll.
Importantly, independents closely mirror the national numbers, with 49% having the combination of inflation and the economy above all others.
The top two reasons for vote choice vary little by race and ethnicity. Regarding the economy and inflation, 45% of Black Americans and 47% of Hispanic Americans prioritize the pair of issues, essentially the same as the general public.
But there’s a meaningful difference by race and ethnicity on an issue that’s on the agenda for Democrats: gun violence. Although only 4% of white Americans name gun violence as the most important issue in their vote for Congress, 15% of Hispanic Americans and 17% of Black Americans list it as theirs.
This duo of issues – economy and inflation – are much more likely to drive voters toward Republicans, who have been hammering President Joe Biden and his administration for higher prices at the pump and the grocery store for months on end. But Democrats have also hoped that a recent decision by the Supreme Court that made access to abortion services more difficult – and in some cases nonexistent – will drive turnout in their favor.
Data from the new ABC News/Ipsos poll shows that about 6 in 10 Americans (61%) think abortion should be legal in all or most cases versus only 37 percent who think it should be illegal. The public has a clear preference in supporting candidates who align with that view with a large plurality saying they would be more likely to support a candidate who favors keeping abortion legal and available.
But access to abortion, while galvanizing for some, is less likely to be the primary motivation for one in five Americans who say the issue makes no difference at all in their voting decision, with that indifference being even higher among independents.
Indifference persists when Americans are asked about party control of Pennsylvania Avenue versus Capitol Hill. Half the country says it doesn’t matter if the same or opposite parties control Congress and the White House. Only 19% think it is better for the country to have a president from one political party and Congress controlled by the other.
Just under a third would prefer to have the same party control both branches of government, but that number is driven by 47% of Democrats who overwhelmingly want their party to control both. Even more independents, 55%, say it makes no difference.
This ABC News/Ipsos poll was conducted using Ipsos Public Affairs‘ KnowledgePanel® October 28-29, 2022, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 729 adults with oversamples of black and Hispanic respondents weighted to their correct proportions in the general population.. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.9 points, including the design effect. Partisan divisions are 28-24-41 percent, Democrats-Republicans-independents. See the poll’s topline results and details on the methodology here.
ABC News’ Dan Merkle and Ken Goldstein contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday is hearing two major cases that could determine the future of race-based affirmative action in higher education across America.
While 40 years of legal precedent supports consideration of race in college admissions, a conservative advocacy group is asking the justices anew to reverse course and issue a blanket ban on the practice. How the court rules could have a dramatic impact, experts say.
What is affirmative action and why do schools use it?
Affirmative action in college admissions is a policy of taking an individual student’s race or ethnicity into account during the selection process.
Since the 1960s, seeking to overcome a legacy of segregation and inequality in higher education, many American colleges and universities began giving preference to applicants from underrepresented groups in order to proactively diversify their campuses.
In addition to redressing historic injustice, the schools say a diverse learning environment benefits all students and leads to a more informed society and workforce.
Where is affirmative action used in higher education?
Roughly 20% of four-year public universities still consider race during the admissions process, according to a report by Ballotpedia. Many of those institutions say they consistently evaluate race-neutral alternatives but that they are largely less effective in advancing campus diversity.
Since 1996, 10 states have banned the use of race in public university admissions, including California, Michigan and Florida, according to the American Educational Research Association.
Is there evidence that race-conscious policies are working?
Many schools, including Harvard and UNC, say consideration of race as one factor in a holistic assessment of applicants is an indispensable tool for building a diverse campus.
Since 1976, Black, Native American, Hispanic and Asian American student enrollment has surged, according to Department of Education data. Despite the gains, however, students of color remain underrepresented on campuses nationwide.
Didn’t the Supreme Court already uphold affirmative action?
The court has repeatedly said since 1978 that colleges and universities may consider the race of applicants — as one factor among many — in the interest of promoting compelling educational benefits that come from a diverse student body.
The court has prohibited the use of quota systems, but said in 2003 that narrowly-tailored use of race is permissible when making a holistic assessment for admission. It most recently affirmed this precedent in 2016.
Who is behind the latest challenge to affirmative action?
Students for Fair Admissions, a multiracial and multiethnic group of 22,000 students and parents led by longtime conservative activist Edward Blum, is opposed to race-conscious admissions policies.
The group believes affirmative action violates the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination any place that receives federal funding, like private universities.
In 2014, SFFA sued Harvard University, the nation’s oldest private college, and the University of North Carolina, the nation’s oldest public university, alleging illegal racial discrimination against Asian American applicants during the admissions process.
What do the schools have to say?
The schools say the nation’s history and tradition, including the 14th Amendment’s extension of citizenship rights to former enslaved people after the Civil War, make clear that explicit consideration of race is allowed to address inequality and promote societal benefits.
They say using race as one factor among many in a holistic review, consistent with the court’s precedents, is not exclusionary or harmful to other students.
How did lower courts rule in these cases?
After a fact-intensive trial examining Harvard’s admission policies in-depth, a federal district court rejected SFFA’s claims. An appeals court later affirmed that decision, finding the university’s practices consistent with Supreme Court precedent.
Separately, a federal district court rejected SFFA’s claims against UNC after trial. Before an appeal was heard, however, the Supreme Court agreed to take up the case in tandem with the Harvard case.
What is the Supreme Court being asked to do?
Opponents of affirmative action want the justices to overturn 40 years of precedent and categorically ban the use of race in higher education admissions policies nationwide.
The fact that the court agreed to take up SFFA’s appeals after definitive lower court judgments suggests the conservative majority is poised to significantly rollback precedent if not overturn it entirely.
How would ending affirmative action impact higher education?
Supporters of the policy say it would unequivocally mean fewer minority students on the campuses of the nation’s most selective colleges and universities. Without affirmative action, students of color would experience an estimated 23 percentage-point decline in likelihood of admission to highly selective public universities, according to one study from 2014.
Dozens of major American companies that employ tens of thousands of U.S. workers have told the Supreme Court that ending affirmative action would undermine recruitment of diverse, highly educated job candidates and, in turn, hurt profits.
Opponents of the policy, however, say the potential consequences are exaggerated, that alternative admissions strategies can advance racial diversity on campuses, and that race-blindness will restore equity for all Americans.
Where is public opinion on campus diversity and affirmative action?
Most Americans say they strongly support promotion of racial diversity on college and university campuses, according to recent polling. But strong majorities also oppose the use of race as a factor in admissions decisions.
A Pew Research Center study earlier this year found 68% of Hispanics, 63% of Asian Americans and 59% of African Americans oppose the use of race or ethnicity in college admissions.
(NEW YORK) — As Democrats seek to hold onto their slim majority in Congress, one traditionally blue haven for the party has turned more competitive than expected: New York.
Prominent figures on both sides are flocking to the state as several races, especially those for governor and Congress, have tightened in the final stretch.
President Joe Biden this week made a trip to Syracuse, and first lady Jill Biden will stump for Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney and other Democratic candidates on Sunday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was on Long Island Saturday to stump for Republican gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin as polls show a tightening in the contest between Zeldin and incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“It was always gonna be a tough cycle. Even in a blue state like New York, not every year is gonna be one where the Democrats run the table the way they did in the last midterms in 2018,” Evan Stavisky, a Democratic political consultant, told ABC News.
The governor’s race
New York has comfortably elected Democratic governors for years. A Republican hasn’t held the position since 2002, when former Gov. George Pataki won reelection.
Over the summer, Hochul at times held an 18-point lead over Zeldin, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average. Now, a little more than a week out from Election Day, Hochul’s lead is 6.9 points — still making her a frontrunner but close enough to cause some alarm among Democrats.
“When you consider that there’s a 2 million-plus Democratic registration edge, it shouldn’t be close at all,” Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democratic strategist based in New York, told ABC News.
Hochul’s spent a large part of her campaign casting Zeldin as an acolyte of former President Donald Trump and criticizing him for his stance on abortion. Zeldin praised the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade as a victory, and once voted in favor of a 20-week ban on abortion. Heading into the general election, he’s tried to shift to a more moderate stance, telling voters he wouldn’t change the state’s abortion laws.
Thomas Doherty, a political strategist and former aide to Pataki, said he thought Zeldin’s enthusiastic response to the Roe decision in a state as pro-choice as New York was “a bad mistake.”
But Doherty and other strategists said crime’s become the forefront issue in the state, as well as the economy. Those issues were front and center of the first and only debate between Zeldin and Hochul earlier this week.
“You’re poorer and less safe because of Kathy Hochul and extreme policies,” Zeldin said in his opening statement.
These past few weeks, Hochul’s been putting more emphasis on her efforts to take guns off the streets and recently announced actions to put more cops on New York City’s subways. In the debate, Hochul said she was “laser-focused” on fighting crime.
A Quinnipiac University poll found crime overshadowed other areas when likely voters were asked to choose the most urgent issue facing the state today. Twenty-eight percent of likely voters chose crime, 20% chose inflation and 6% said abortion was the most urgent issue.
New York’s congressional races
While Hochul has turned her attention toward New York City, where the turnout of reliably Democratic voters is essential to a statewide win, national Democrats have zeroed in on congressional races in suburban districts on Long Island and the Hudson Valley, often a bellwether for voters’ enthusiasm.
“A lot of this has to do with turnout. Where’s the energy? I think the energy is on the Republican side of things right now,” Doherty said. “You can sense that nationally as well and I think that’s carried over into New York.”
Republicans hope a tighter-than-expected campaign for governor will motivate GOP voters down the ballot.
Of the country’s 50 most competitive House races, according to FiveThirtyEight, seven are for New York seats. Five will be defended by Democratic incumbents, including Maloney’s 17th congressional district. Maloney, chairman of the Democrats’ congressional campaign arm, touted the president’s plan to invest in manufacturing jobs in the Hudson Valley and upstate New York on ABC News’ “This Week.”
Asked by ABC’s Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl if he’d support a Biden bid for reelection, Maloney did not commit. “Look, the president will make that decision,” he said.
Forecasters at the Cook Political Report recently changed the race between Maloney and Republican Mike Lawler from “leans Democrat” to “toss up.”
Jill Biden’s visit to the state will look to bolster Maloney and Robert Zimmerman, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 3rd congressional district, a swing Long Island seat vacated by Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat.
The party is still favored to keep power there and in the neighboring 4th district, according to forecasters the Cook Political Report, where candidates are jousting for a long-held Democratic seat that shades moderate. Both Republican Anthony D’Esposito and Democrat Laura Gillen bucked their own party in a Newsday debate, D’Esposito insisting that “[abortion] is not on the ballot in New York” and Gillen taking aim at cashless bail, a policy advanced by Democrats in Albany.
Rep. Pat Ryan, who won a summer special election in the 19th district largely on the progressive momentum gained after the Dobbs case, will have to defend a Democratic seat in the 18th District on Election Day because of redistricting.
It will be a test of Democrats’ enthusiasm at the halfway point of Biden’s term in a state that sent him to the White House by 23 points.
(SEOUL, South Korea) — South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday declared a period of national mourning after a stampede left at least 153 people dead and 82 injured during Halloween festivities in Seoul.
Two Americans were among the 19 foreign nationals who died, ABC News confirmed. The victims were largely in their 20s and many were transferred to local hospitals in cardiac arrest after emergency CPR, according to the National Fire Agency.
The national mourning period for the victims will go from Sunday through Saturday, Nov. 5, Yoon said.
The incident was reported Saturday night at around 10:20 p.m. local time, officials said.
The crush took place in the nightlife district of Itaewon. Tens of thousands of people were believed to have gathered in Itaewon for festivities on Saturday night. Witnesses said the streets were so densely clogged it was practically impossible for emergency workers and ambulances to reach the alley near the site. People were on top of each other for more than an hour.
Nathan Taverniti, a 24-year-old from Australia, who is visiting friends in Seoul, said he was at the site with three female friends. One of those friends died and another was in critical condition and told by the doctor she was not going to make it, Taverniti said. The third one was hospitalized and is now with family, he said.
Taverniti told ABC news that people were going up and down a small alley hill at the same time, when some people fell down and then people started to pile up on each other.
“Because the whole street in front of me was just people lying down on the floor, and I could see my friend’s hand, and I grabbed her hand and said, ‘I’m going to get you out,’ but she already wasn’t breathing,” Taverniti told ABC News.
More than 100,000 people gathered for Halloween parties in the area, which is known for its nightclubs. The area has bars located along narrow back alleys that flank the main street. People got stuck in these curved, slanted alleys, according to witnesses.
Witnesses also said they didn’t see a police presence in Itaewon at the time of the incident.
World leaders have offered their condolences and messages of support following the South Korea tragedy. President Joe Biden extended his sympathies Saturday on behalf of himself and first lady Jill Biden.
“We grieve with the people of the Republic of Korea and send our best wishes for a quick recovery to all those who were injured,” the president said in a statement. “The Alliance between our two countries has never been more vibrant or more vital — and the ties between our people are stronger than ever. The United States stands with the Republic of Korea during this tragic time.”
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio issued a statement expressing his country’s solidarity with South Korea and its citizens.
“I am greatly shocked and deeply saddened by the loss of many precious lives, including young people with a bright future, as a result of the very tragic accident that occurred in Itaewon, Seoul,” the minister said. “On behalf of the Japanese government and people, I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives and their bereaved families, and we pray for the speedy recovery of the injured people.”
ABC News’ Meredith Deliso, Joanne Aran and Anthony Trotter contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — More than six months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose forces began an offensive in August, has vowed to take back all Russian-occupied territory. But Putin in September announced a mobilization of reservists, which is expected to call up as many as 300,000 additional troops.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 29, 2:09 PM EDT
Russia claims withdrawal from grain deal is due to ‘terrorist attack’ in Black Sea
Russia claims that its withdrawal from the U.N.-brokered grain deal was a response to a drone attack Saturday in the waters of the Sevastopol Bay, in the Black Sea near Crimea.
“The Ukrainian armed forces, under the cover of a humanitarian corridor created as part of the implementation of the ‘Black Sea Initiative’ to export Ukrainian agricultural products, launched massive air and sea strikes using unmanned aerial vehicles against the ships and infrastructure of the Russian Black Sea Fleet at the naval base in Sevastopol,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Russia claimed the drones did not cause serious damage to infrastructure and that the Black Sea Fleet destroyed all the drones.
Russia accused British specialists of being involved in preparing the attack and training the Ukrainian military in the city of Ochakov.
“According to available information, representatives of this unit of the British Navy took part in the planning, support and implementation of a terrorist act in the Baltic Sea on September 26 this year to undermine the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines,” the Russian military claimed.
Oct 29, 1:45 PM EDT
Russia blames UK for Nord Stream blasts
Russia accused the British army of carrying out a “terrorist act” in the Baltic Sea to undermine the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines on Sept. 26.
“According to available information, representatives of this unit of the British Navy took part in the planning, provision and implementation of a terrorist act in the Baltic Sea on September 26 this year to undermine the Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream-2 gas pipelines,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The British Ministry of Defense denied the accusation calling it an “invented story.”
“To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale. This invented story, says more about arguments going on inside the Russian Government than it does about the west,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Twitter.
Oct 29, 11:32 AM EDT
Russia suspends participation in UN-brokered grain deal
The Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russia is suspending its participation in the execution of agreements on the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
“The Russian side suspends participation in the implementation of agreements on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
The decision was made “taking into account the terrorist act carried out on October 29 this year by the Kyiv regime with the participation of British specialists against ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian vessels involved in ensuring the security of the” grain corridor .”
Oct 28, 1:53 PM EDT
US approves additional $275M aid to Ukraine
The U.S. has officially announced another $275 million aid package for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Friday.
The aid includes “additional arms, munitions, and equipment from U.S. Department of Defense inventories.”
Since the start of the conflict, the administration has provided $18.5 billion in assistance to Ukraine.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Oct 28, 1:16 PM EDT
Russia’s partial mobilization is complete
Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu announced that the partial mobilization of Russian citizens for the war in Ukraine is complete, reporting that 300,000 men in total have been mobilized.
Of those mobilized, 82,000 have been sent to Ukraine, while 218,000 are being trained, Shoigu said as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday.
“We concluded the sending citizens who were called up as part of mobilization today; notification of citizens has ended, and no additional assignments are planned,” Shoigu said.
At the meeting, Putin urged the modernization of parts of the Russian military structure, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
-ABC News’ Anastasia Bagaeva and Tanya Stukalova
Oct 28, 11:11 AM EDT
‘We are seeing casualties mount up,’ Ukrainian politician tells ABC News
After some stunning successes over the summer, it appears that the Ukrainian army is now facing a much tougher fight on multiple fronts in the east and south. Sviatoslav Yurash, Ukraine’s youngest lawmaker, told ABC News Ukrainian forces are “seeing casualties mount up.”
“The reality is dire,” he told ABC News in an interview in Kyiv. “We are facing an onslaught of unparalleled proportions.”
Yurash, who is fighting in the military, recently returned from what he called “hell-like” conditions in the eastern Donbas.
“The reality is an artillery barrage day in, day out, night in, night out,” Yuras said.
Yurash said that Ukrainian troops still “lack” equipment.
Referring to U.S. support, he said, “nothing is enough, and everything is very welcome,” pointing out that the Ukrainians are fighting along 600 miles of front lines. Weapons systems such as the U.S.-supplied Howitzers and HIMARS are prioritized to particular points of the conflict zone.
He said additional support from the West is “desperately needed.”
Oct 27, 11:27 AM EDT
In address Putin calls the West’s policy ‘bloody and dirty’
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a rhetorical attack on the West, claiming it believes its world view is universal.
“The policy of the West is bloody and dirty, it denies the sovereignty of countries and peoples,” Putin said, delivering an address at the Valdai Club, a think tank forum.
Putin said that the “rules-based order” proposed by the West is designed to enable it to live without rules at all. He claimed that the West has no unity, calling it a “conglomerate.”
He described the destruction of the European Gas pipelines as “beyond all reason.”
Oct 27, 7:27 AM EDT
Russia threatens to target US satellites
Russia is threatening to target commercial satellites from the United States and its allies if they become involved in the war in Ukraine.
“Quasi-civilian infrastructure may be a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike,” Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy director of the non-proliferation and arms control department at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was quoted as saying by state media on Thursday. “We are talking about the involvement of components of civilian space infrastructure, including commercial, by the United States and its allies in armed conflicts.”
Oct 26, 3:23 PM EDT
Body of American killed in Donbas transferred to Ukrainian authorities
The remains of an American killed while fighting in the Donbas region are now in Ukraine’s custody and will soon be returned to family members, the U.S. State Department said in a statement Wednesday.
The U.S. citizen was identified as Joshua Jones, a U.S. Army veteran whose remains were recovered as part of a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, according to Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Jason Volack
Oct 25, 3:10 PM EDT
Biden warns Russia would be making ‘incredibly serious mistake’ if it uses tactical nuclear weapon
President Joe Biden told reporters he is unsure if disputed Russian claims that Ukraine’s military is planning to use a “dirty bomb” were a “false-flag operation” or if Russia is planning on deploying a dirty bomb itself, warning Russia against using nuclear weapons.
“Russia would be making an incredibly serious mistake for it to use a tactical nuclear weapon. I’m not guaranteeing you that it’s a false flag operation yet, I don’t know, but it would be a serious, serious mistake,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Oct 25, 2:50 PM EDT
Ukraine accuses Russia of dirty bomb deception at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear energy operator, accused Russian forces of performing secret construction work at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant over the last weeks, amid allegations from Russia that Ukraine’s military is preparing a “provocation” involving a radioactive device.
In calls with his British, French, Turkish and American counterparts over the weekend, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made an unsubstantiated allegation that Ukraine was preparing to launch a so-called dirty bomb. Britain, France and the U.S. rejected the claims calling them “transparently false.”
Ukraine also dismissed Moscow’s claim as an attempt to distract attention from the Kremlin’s own alleged plans to detonate a dirty bomb, which uses explosives to scatter radioactive waste in an effort to sow terror.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 25, 12:42 AM EDT
Blinken again speaks with Ukrainian counterpart, second time in as many days
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, on Monday after having a call with him on Sunday, and the “rhetoric surrounding so-called dirty bombs” was again on the agenda.
“The secretary reaffirmed enduring U.S. support for Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression, atrocities and rhetoric surrounding so-called ‘dirty bombs’ in Ukraine,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. “He noted our commitment to work with allies and partners to continue meeting Ukraine’s security assistance needs on the battlefield.”
Blinken tweeted: “Connected with @DmytroKuleba again today. It is important to once again emphasize that U.S. support for Ukraine is concrete, comprehensive and enduring.”
Oct 24, 9:16 AM EDT
Russian commander says troops readied in case of ‘radioactive contamination’
A senior commander of the Russian military said Monday that his troops have been readied to operate “in the conditions of radioactive contamination,” amid Moscow’s allegation that Ukraine is preparing to use a “dirty bomb” on its own territory.
“Work has been organised by the [Russian] Ministry of Defense for combating possible provocations from the side of Ukraine: forces and equipment have been put in readiness for fulfilling tasks in the conditions of radioactive contamination,” Kirillov said during a press briefing, as quoted by Russian state media.
The comments are further worrying signs that Russia is trying to build a false-flag narrative, blaming Ukraine for the possible use of nuclear weapons, which is clearly intended as a threat to both Ukraine and its Western allies.
Oct 24, 9:04 AM EDT
Russia responds to US, UK, France rejecting its ‘dirty bomb’ allegation
Russia responded on Monday to a joint statement from the United States, the United Kingdom and France rejecting Moscow’s “transparently false allegations” that Ukraine is preparing a provocation with the use of a “dirty bomb” on its own territory.
“The thing is that their mistrust toward the information shared by Russia doesn’t mean that the threat of the use of such a dirty bomb ceases to exist,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a press briefing. “The threat is obvious. This information was shared by the defense minister with his counterparts, and now it is up to them to believe or not believe in it.”
Oct 24, 8:39 AM EDT
Top Ukrainian general speaks out in exclusive rare interview
The commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine is real and that the West “should be worried,” but said his country is nonetheless winning the war.
Gen. Col. Oleksander Syrskiy made the comments in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Ian Pannell in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Sunday. As the 57-year-old top commander of his country’s land forces, Syrskiy has played a decisive role in turning the war in Ukraine’s favor, first leading the successful defense of the capital, Kyiv, and then — most recently — masterminding the counteroffensive in the northeast that upended the monthslong conflict and threw Russian forces onto the defensive.
The rare interview, airing Monday on ABC News’ Good Morning America, is one of the few times Syrskiy has spoken publicly at length and he described Ukraine’s tactics, the importance of Western support, the threat of renewed attacks from Belarus and his determination that Ukraine will reclaim all of its territory, including the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Ukraine’s successes, however, have been shadowed by the recent threats from Putin that Russia might resort to nuclear weapons to reverse the course of his war in Ukraine. Syrskiy told ABC News that he takes the threats seriously.
“We are and should be worried,” Syrskiy said. “I do believe that such a threat really exists and we have to take it into account.”
Oct 24, 8:32 AM EDT
US, UK, France reject Russia’s ‘dirty bomb’ allegation
The governments of the United States, the United Kingdom and France released a joint statement on Sunday rejecting “Russia’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory.”
“We, the Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, reiterate our steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression,” they said in the joint statement. “We remain committed to continue supporting Ukraine’s efforts to defend its territory for as long as it takes.”
“Earlier today, the defense ministers of each of our countries spoke to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu at his request,” they continued. “Our countries made clear that we all reject Russia’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory. The world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation. We further reject any pretext for escalation by Russia.”
They added: “The Foreign Ministers also discussed their shared determination to continue supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people with security, economic, and humanitarian assistance in the face of President Putin’s brutal war of aggression.”
Oct 24, 8:21 AM EDT
Blinken speaks with Ukrainian counterpart about Russia’s ‘dirty bomb’ allegation
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke via telephone with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, on Sunday “to reaffirm the United States’ steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independent, and territorial integrity,” according to a statement from U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price.
“Secretary Blinken expressed to Foreign Minister Kuleba that the United States rejects Russian Defense Minister Shoygu’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory and that the world would see through any attempt by Russia to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation,” Price said.
“They also discussed the U.S. and international commitment to continue supporting Ukraine with unprecedented security, economic and humanitarian assistance for as long as it takes, as we hold Russia accountable,” he added. “They further noted our ongoing efforts to manage the broader implications of President Putin’s war.”
Oct 23, 4:11 PM EDT
Russian Defense Minister claims Ukrainians planning ‘dirty bomb’ attack
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the defense ministers of Turkey, France and the United Kingdom on Saturday, claiming Ukraine is preparing a provocation with the use of a “dirty bomb.”
The first mention of a possible Ukrainian “dirty bomb” attack appeared Sunday in a morning message of the RIA Novosti state-owned news agency. The article, citing “credible sources in various countries, including Ukraine,” stated that “the Kiev regime is preparing a provocation on the territory of its country related to the detonation of the so-called ‘dirty bomb’ or low-power nuclear munition.”
“The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian theater of operations and thereby launch a powerful anti-Russian campaign in the world aimed at undermining confidence in Moscow,” RIA Novosti reported.
Shoigu also had a telephone conversation with the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday, during which they discussed the situation in Ukraine, according to a Pentagon official.
“Secretary Austin rejected any pretext for Russian escalation and reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine,” said Pentagon press secretary, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.
Oct 23, 1:20 PM EDT
Russian military jet crashes into a residential building, 2nd time in a week
A Russian Sukhoi Su fighter jet crashed into a residential building in southern Siberia on Sunday during a an apparent test flight just six days after another Russian Sukhoi Su jet slammed into an apartment block in Yeysk, Russia, near the Ukrainian border.
Two pilots were killed in Sunday’s crash in the southern Siberia town of Irkutsk, Russian officials said. The crash ignited a giant fireball when the aircraft nosedived into a two-story house, Igor Kobzev, the regional governor, said in a post on Telegram.
Kobzev confirmed two pilots were killed and said no civilian residents were injured.
The Sukhoi Su-30 jet was on a test flight when the crash occurred, according to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.
The crash came about a week after a Russian Sukhoi Su-34 crashed into an apartment block in the southern Russian city of Yeysk, near Ukraine, killing at least 15 people.
Authorities said the initial investigation indicated a technical malfunction of the aircraft caused the crash and that the pilots eject from the jet and survived.
Oct 22, 4:39 PM EDT
33 missiles have been fired at Ukraine, air force says
Thirty-three missiles were fired at Ukraine on Saturday morning, 18 of which were shot down, the country’s air force claimed. Local officials in regions across Ukraine are reporting that the strikes were aimed at energy facilities.
More than a million people were without power as of Saturday afternoon, according to presidential adviser Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
In the southeastern city of Nikopol, local authorities warned that air raid sirens would be switched off as a result of power cuts. Instead, emergency vehicles driving around the city will warn resident of incoming aerial threats.
Oct 22, 1:45 PM EDT
Russian authorities tell civilians in annexed Kherson to leave immediately
Russian authorities in the Ukrainian city of Kherson told civilians to leave immediately on Saturday because of what they called a tense military situation as Ukrainian forces advance. Kherson was illegally annexed by Russia earlier this month.
“Take care of the safety of your family and friends! Do not forget documents, money, valuables and clothes,” Russian authorities said.
At Oleshky on the opposite bank of the Dnipro, the agencies caught up with people arriving by river boat from Kherson, loaded with boxes, bags and pets, according to an article in Russian News Agency Interfax.
One woman carried a toddler under one arm and a dog under the other. Some boats were loaded with vegetables and pallets of food. Staff from Russia’s emergency ministry carried elderly people and children in prams from the vessels. Families then waited to board buses to the Russian-annexed city of Crimea, according to Interfax.
Meanwhile, in a briefing on Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had repelled a Ukrainian attempt to break through its line of control in the Kherson region.
Oct 21, 3:36 PM EDT
Ukraine accuses Russia of delaying passage of 150 grain ships
Russia is deliberately delaying the passage of ships carrying grain exports under a U.N.-brokered deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged in his evening address Friday.
Zelenskyy said the delay meant that Ukraine grain exports were short 3 million tons, which he said is enough to feed 10 million people.
“The enemy is doing everything to slow down our food exports … as of today, more than 150 ships are queuing to fulfill contractual obligations on the delivery of our agricultural products,” Zelenskyy said.
“This is an artificial queue. It only arose because Russia is deliberately delaying the passage of the ships,” he said.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Oct 21, 1:24 PM EDT
Russia has hit 30% to 40% of Ukraine’s overall power infrastructure, Ukrainian official tells Reuters
Russian attacks have hit 30% to 40% of Ukraine’s overall national power infrastructure, Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko told Reuters in an interview.
“We see that they targeted a number of new [facilities], but also they shelled [facilities] which had been already shelled before to destroy them absolutely,” Halushchenko said.
Asked about the scale of the damage, Halushchenko said Russian attacks have hit at least half of Ukraine’s thermal generation capacity and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
Halushchenko said electricity imports could be one of the options Ukraine pursues to get through the crisis.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Oct 21, 11:03 AM EDT
Austin speaks with Russian defense minister about Ukraine
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart, Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu, for the second time since the invasion of Ukraine on Friday.
“Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine,” the Pentagon said in a brief statement.
The first call between the two was in May and lasted an hour. Officials did not say how long the Friday call was.
Oct 20, 4:33 PM EDT
US believes Iranians are on the ground assisting Russian drone attacks in Ukraine
The U.S. believes Iranians are “on the ground” in Ukraine to assist Russia with its drone operations, White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday.
“We can confirm that Russian military personnel that are based in Crimea have been piloting Iranian [drones] and using them to conduct strikes across Ukraine, including strikes against Kiev in just recent days. We assess that Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations,” Kirby told reporters.
Kirby did not know how many Iranians are in Crimea, but said the U.S. knows it is “a relatively small number.”
Kirby specified that the Iranians “have put trainers and tech support in Crimea, but it’s the Russians who are doing the piloting.”
“We’re going to continue to vigorously enforce all U.S. sanctions on both the Russian and Iranian arms trade. We’re going to make it harder for Iran to sell these weapons to Russia. We’re going to help the Ukrainians have what they need to defend themselves against these threats.”
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Oct 20, 2:53 PM EDT
DOJ says it will continue to be “relentless” in efforts to hold people responsible for war crimes accountable
The Justice Department will “continue” to be “relentless” in its pursuit to hold those responsible for war crimes and other atrocities in Ukraine accountable, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday, while sitting next to his German counterpart, Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht.
“We are committed to finding ways to expand our cooperation with our German partners in these efforts,” Garland said.
Garland also thanked Germany for its help in apprehending a suspect accused of getting sensitive technologies to Russia as part of an indictment announced Wednesday.
The Justice Department charged five individuals including Yury Orekhov, the alleged mastermind behind the plot. Orekhov was arrested in Germany as part of the Justice Department’s task force KleptoCapture, which is cracking down on Russian-related crimes as the war in Ukraine continues.
Asked if any U.S. intelligence was compromised after Germany replaced its head of cybersecurity over alleged ties to Russia, Garland didn’t answer, saying intelligence sharing is what makes the relationship with Germany so strong.
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Oct 20, 6:56 AM EDT
US will ‘not hesitate’ to sanction Iran over drone sales, official says
The United States is committed to stopping Russia from obtaining foreign weapons, including Iran-made drones, a State Department official said.
Officials from the United States, United Kingdom and France on Thursday raised the issue during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
“The United States began warning in July that Iran was planning to transfer UAVs to Russia for use in Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, and we now have abundant evidence that these UAVs are being used to strike Ukrainian civilians and critical civilian infrastructure,” Price said. “As Iran continues to lie and deny providing weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, we are committed to working with allies and partners to prevent the transfer of dangerous weaponry to Russia.”
He added, “We will not hesitate to use our sanctions and other appropriate tools on all involved in these transfers.”
Oct 19, 8:08 PM EDT
Putin’s martial law declaration ‘speaks to his desperation’: Blinken
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC News’ Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopoulos in a new interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of martial law in illegally annexed parts of Ukraine “speaks to his desperation” as Ukrainian forces continue to make progress in rebuffing the invasion.
“Just in the last few weeks, he’s tried to mobilize more forces. He’s gone through with this sham annexation of Ukrainian territory,” Blinken said in a preview from the sit-down, which will air Thursday on Good Morning America.
Oct 19, 3:34 PM EDT
Ukraine to restrict electrical supply after Russia knocks out power plants
Ukraine will start restricting electricity supplies across the country on Thursday after Russia knocked out more power plants, a senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said on Wednesday.
“From 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., it is necessary to minimize the use of electricity … if this is not done, you should prepare for temporary blackouts,” Tymoshenko wrote in a Telegram post.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Oct 19, 2:26 PM EDT
Biden says Putin imposing martial law may be ‘his only tool available’ to brutalize Ukrainians
President Joe Biden reacted to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to impose martial law in illegally annexed Ukrainian areas, telling reporters it may be his only tool available.
“I think that Vladimir Putin finds himself in an incredibly difficult position. And what it reflects to me is it seems his only tool available to him is to brutalize individual citizens, in Ukraine, Ukrainian citizens to try to intimidate them into capitulating,” Biden said Wednesday.
“They’re not gonna do that,” he added
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Oct 19, 8:31 AM EDT
Putin announces he is imposing martial law in four occupied Ukrainian territories
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he will impose martial law in four Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian forces — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye. All four regions were illegally annexed by Putin last month.
Marital law grants Russia’s authorities huge powers over the civilian population in the regions it is imposed. Martial law is set to go into effect on Thursday.
The decree, which Putin announced during a televised meeting with his security council, will now be sent to be rubber stamped by Russia’s upper chamber of parliament, the Federation Council.
Putin has also granted new powers to governors in several regions bordering Ukraine.
Putin’s decree includes other points ordering the rest of Russia itself put into various levels of “readiness.”
The decree puts eight regions bordering Ukraine into a state of “moderate level of response,” but also imposes a “level of heightened readiness” in the southern and central regions that include Moscow. All other Russians regions are put on a “basic level of readiness.”
The decree says these statuses grant special powers to local authorities that are similar to martial law and includes points imposing increased security at key facilities, puts transport and communications into a special regime and also envisages the creation of “territorial defense headquarters” in some regions.
Oct 19, 7:35 AM EDT
Russian civilians to evacuate Kherson
Russia has announced the mass evacuation of civilians from the key city of Kherson, as well as all of its civilian occupation administration there.
Russia’s newly appointed overall commander for its war in Ukraine, Gen. Sergey Surovikin, said on Tuesday that “difficult decisions” may have to be made in the near future regarding Russia’s position in Kherson. In his first public remarks since his appointment, he said the situation around Kherson was already “extremely difficult.”
The evacuation combined with Surovikin’s comments has fueled speculation that Russia may be preparing to retreat from the city in the face of a Ukrainian offensive, in what would be a major defeat for President Vladimir Putin.
Other Russian officials though have suggested the evacuation is in preparation of Russian defense of the city. Kherson’s Russian-appointed governor on Wednesday denied Russia was planning to “give up” the city.
Another senior occupation official has said the battle for Kherson will begin in the “very near future.”
Kherson is the only regional capital Russia managed to seize in its invasion and is a capital of one of the regions Putin annexed last month.
The city is located on the western side of the Dnieper river and Russian forces’ position there has become increasingly difficult, after Ukraine succeeded in destroying the bridges needed to supply it.
With the bridges destroyed, thousands of Russian troops risk becoming surrounded in Kherson city and cut off from any supplies.
Russia has already begun evacuating civilians to the eastern side of the Dneipr river. Independent military researchers said Russia has quickly built a pontoon bridge near Kherson that could be used for evacuation or re-supplies.
The Russian-appointed governor said around 60,000 civilians will be evacuated, over the course of seven days.
Oct 18, 5:14 PM EDT
Russia trying to make Ukrainians ‘suffer,’ US officials say
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian power stations shows Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to make Ukrainians “suffer” with deliberate attacks, speaking of attacks on Ukrainian power stations.
“He is trying to make sure that the Ukrainian people suffer,” Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Tuesday. “He’s making it very difficult for them.”
Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder echoed those comments, saying Russia is trying to “inflict pain” on Ukrainian civilians with its strikes on population centers and infrastructure.
“We do continue to see them target, among other things, civilian infrastructure, to include energy related targets — power grids, for example,” Ryder said.
He added, “In terms of why we think they’re targeting those areas, I think obviously trying to inflict pain on the civilian society as well as try to have an impact on Ukrainian forces.”
ABC News’ Ben Gittleson and Matt Seyler
Oct 18, 4:59 PM EDT
UN commission releases detailed report on war crimes in Ukraine
The United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has released its first in-depth, written report on what it calls “an array of war crimes, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law” committed in the country during the first weeks of Russia’s brutal invasion.
The report outlines what investigators say are “documented patterns of summary executions, unlawful confinement, torture, ill-treatment, rape and other sexual violence.”
The inquiry zeroed in on four regions of Ukraine– Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy–and focused on incidents that took place following Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24 through the end of March.
Investigators traveled to 27 cities and towns, conducted nearly 200 interviews and “inspected sites of destruction, graves, places of detention and torture, as well as weapon remnants, and consulted a large number of documents and reports.”
Due to the sheer number of allegations, the commission could not investigate all the claims it received. The commission said it intends to “gradually devote more of its resources” to a broader investigation within the country, according to the report.
ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Oct 18, 2:25 PM EDT
NATO to send Ukraine anti-drone systems: NATO Secretary General
Ukraine will receive anti-drone systems from NATO in the coming days according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
“The most important thing we can do is deliver on what allies have promised, to step up and deliver even more air defense systems,” Stoltenberg said, according to Reuters.
He added, “NATO will in the coming days deliver counter-drone systems to counter the specific threat of drones, including those from Iran.”
ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 18, 7:00 AM EDT
30% of Ukraine’s power stations destroyed
About a third of Ukraine’s power stations have been destroyed by Russian attacks in the last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
“Since Oct. 10, 30% of Ukraine’s power stations have been destroyed, causing massive blackouts across the country,” he said on Twitter. “No space left for negotiations with Putin’s regime.”
(SEOUL, South Korea) — At least 120 people are dead and 100 are injured after being crushed in a crowd during Halloween festivities in Seoul, officials in South Korea said.
The victims are largely in their 20s, according to the National Fire Agency.
Among the fatalities, 46 victims died on the scene and 74 died after transported to the hospital, the agency said.
More deaths are feared, officials said.
“Of the 100 injured, there is [a] high possibility of more deaths,” a National Fire Agency official told reporters.
Many victims were transferred to local hospitals in cardiac arrest after emergency CPR, the agency said.
The casualties occurred Saturday night in the Itaewon leisure district, when a large crowd pushed forward in the area’s narrow alleys, according to witnesses.
The incident was first reported around 10:20 p.m. local time, officials said. It took time for rescue crews to respond due to the crowds.
More than 100,000 people gathered for Halloween parties in the area, which is known for its nightclubs. The area has bars located along narrow back alleys that flank the main street. People got stuck in these curved, slanted alleys, according to witnesses.
Bystander video from the scene showed a large emergency and police response in the district as a crowd of people, some in costume, were still gathered at the scene. CPR could be seen being performed in the street.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(UVALDE, Texas) — Whenever tragedy strikes, people around the world often seek out ways to help victims as they watch the news unfold on their screens.
When 19 children and two teachers were killed in a May 24 school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, millions of dollars began to flood into a city with no preexisting plan on how to manage or disperse the donations. That’s when the National Compassion Fund, an organization dedicated to giving 100% of donations to victims of tragedies, stepped in to assist in collecting and distributing the money from the many fundraisers that popped up following the shooting.
Jeff Dion, executive director of the National Compassion Fund, which has administered funds in a number of other cases, said that many city agencies don’t have a plan for how to manage this kind of influx of money in the case of an emergency. Uvalde was one of them, Susan Anderson, Uvalde director of planning and city development, told ABC News.
This leaves them vulnerable to a host of issues, including scammers trying to take advantage of the tragedy.
“In their emergency management plan, every community has a plan about how to deal with a mass casualty event, but they don’t have something in there about how you deal with these donations,” said Dion. “We know this happens, because it happens every time.”
Anita Busch, co-founder of the National Compassion Fund, said that scammers and the mismanagement of funds by charitable organizations can leave victims with less money in their pockets than was raised. She said VictimsFirst and the National Compassion Fund have clawed back at least $20,000 in donations just by reaching out to people who had raised money in the name of Uvalde and questioning them about their fundraising activities.
“We call them up and we say ‘we understand you collected funds, and where are those funds? Where did you donate those funds? How much did you collect?'” Busch said. “For the most part, people are pretty good. But there’s like four or five that I’ll be turning into the Attorney General’s office because their numbers are suddenly non-existent or the account is suddenly non-existent.”
“In some mass shootings, where there were fundraisers, people didn’t see even a penny of it,” said Busch referring to instances of scams in Newtown, Connecticut, the Aurora, Colorado, theater shooting, and more where scammers have taken advantage of the chaos.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton put out a warning against scammers within just a few days of the Uvalde school shooting.
A spokesperson for his office said they have not heard of any official reports or complaints out of Uvalde themselves, but urged people who may be aware of such scams to report them to the Attorney General’s office by calling 1-800-621-0508 or filing an online complaint.
It urges donors to give via established charitable funding platforms that verify legitimate fundraisers and remove fundraisers that are misleading or false.
His office also urges donors to research organizations on Charity Watch, or Guidestar, which gathers data on millions of IRS-recognized non-profits.
“Texans have come together in the wake of the tragic killings at Robb Elementary, to comfort and aid one another in this time of unspeakable grief,” said Paxton in a May press release.
He added, “Unfortunately, there are some individuals who may try to take advantage of tragedy to perpetrate scams. We caution all charitable givers to be aware and informed, and we warn any would-be scammers that the Texas Attorney General will not tolerate anyone taking advantage of the goodwill and large-heartedness of our fellow Texans.”
(NEW YORK) — Congresswoman Val Demings, who spent 27 years working in law enforcement in Orlando, Florida, said her background has been crucial to her views as a politician. Now running to be a U.S. senator against incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, her principles will once again be put to the test.
“I’ve seen people at their worst and I’ve seen people at their best,” she told ABC News Correspondent Linsey Davis during an interview. “And I have a really clear understanding of how people find themselves in the circumstances they’re in in the first place.”
Demings, a former social worker, spent nearly three decades in law enforcement — beginning as an officer and working her way up to police chief.
Despite her tenure in law enforcement, several unions representing officers in the state, including her own former department, have endorsed Rubio, her opponent in the race.
“I think it’s politics again,” she told ABC News. “What I found is my opponent and too many other people try to use fear, [saying] ‘you know, she’s not with you because she’s a Democrat.’”
“I am the police chief who brought the community and the department together to reduce violent crime by over 40%,” she added.
It has been more than a decade since Florida has had a Democratic senator, and more than two decades since the state had a Democratic governor.
If she is elected, Demings would be the only Black woman actively serving in the U.S. Senate, and only the third in American history.
She told ABC News she believes the biggest issue for Floridians right now is the rising cost of living, a matter near and dear to her heart.
“I sit here as the daughter of a maid and a janitor,” she said. “I’ve struggled in my own life. I remember graduating from Florida State, saddled with college debt.”
“We have an affordable housing crisis in Florida,” she said. “People are worried about keeping a roof over their head, keeping the lights on.”
In a dependably red state, Demings is running against difficult odds. ABC News partner FiveThirtyEight’s figures show Rubio ahead by 7 percentage points.
Demings, who has served as a well-respected Congresswoman for the past five years, decided to run for the so-called upper chamber because she believes “our nation is in trouble.”
“I just want to create better opportunities for others,” she said. “It’s worth the run for me. It is worth the risk for me.”
Her campaign has raised more than $64 million, making her one of the top fundraisers among Senate hopefuls.
No stranger to adversity, she remembered being told that, “I was the wrong color, the wrong gender,” she said, and that “I probably wouldn’t amount to much.”
When asked what her greatest weakness is, she said her grandchildren. Demings is a mother of three and grandmother of five.
Her greatest strength? Her fearlessness, she said.
(PITTSBURGH) — Five people were shot and a sixth person was injured trying to escape the shooting outside a Pittsburgh church on Friday afternoon during a funeral for a man who was fatally shot nearly two weeks ago, police said.
Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the shooting and face charges including criminal attempt homicide, police said Saturday.
A video of the service captured mourners inside the Destiny of Faith Church on Brighton Street scrambling for safety as the gunshots erupted. They were attending a funeral Mass for John James Hornezes Jr., one of the three people killed in a shooting on Pittsburgh’s North Side on Oct. 15, police said.
ShotSpotter alerts detected 20 rounds just before noon, police said.
Pittsburgh Police Commander Richard Ford told reporters that it wasn’t immediately known if the earlier shooting was linked to the funeral shooting.
Ford said six victims were hospitalized. One victim was in critical condition but later upgraded to stable condition, police said. The other five victims were also listed in stable condition, police said.
One of the victims was found with gunshot wounds near the church and transported to the hospital, police said. Of the four others shot in the incident, one victim was found in the area and transported by EMS, while three others brought themselves to local hospitals, police said.
Police had initially said that six victims had been shot, but later clarified that one of the victims was injured trying to escape.
Shawn Davis, 19, and a 16-year-old boy have been arrested and face multiple charges, including criminal attempt homicide, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault and firearms charges, police said. Both are in the Allegheny County Jail. It is unclear if they have an attorney.
“I just pray to God, whoever it is, whatever it is, they’re going to repent,” Page Davis, Hornezes Jr.’s godmother, who was inside the church during the incident, told ABC affiliate WTAE.
