After viewing Carolina storm damage, Biden to visit FL, GA

President Biden will travel to two more states hit hard by Hurricane Helene. After traveling to North and South Carolina yesterday to survey storm damage and meet with officials, the president heads to Georgia and Florida today. He’s pledging federal assistance to help communities and families rebuild, and says it’ll cost billions of dollars. Mr. Biden also directed up to one-thousand active-duty troops to help with response and recovery efforts.

Prosecutors offer new evidence in Trump election interference case

The special counsel is offering new evidence in the Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case. In a newly unsealed court filing from special counsel Jack Smith’s team Trump is accused of knowingly pushing false voter fraud claims and resorting to “crimes” to stay in power. Federal prosecutors said Trump was acting outside the scope of his duties as president when he pressured state officials and then-Vice President Mike Pence to try to overturn his 2020 election defeat, A Trump spokesman blasted the filing as a “partisan unconstitutional witch hunt.”

US would not support Israeli strike on Iran nuclear sites

The United States does not support an Israeli attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities. President Biden said “the answer is no” when asked whether he would support an Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear sites. The U-S and allies are scrambling to keep the Mideast conflict from spreading further. They are urging Israel to show restraint as it weighs retaliation against Iran for firing about 180 missiles at the Jewish state earlier this week.

Feds may bring additional charges against NYC mayor

Federal prosecutors say they might bring additional charges against New York City’s mayor. The corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams could include more charges and indictments. Prosecutors made that disclosure during Adams’ first court appearance here in Manhattan since pleading not guilty to bribery charges last week. It’s alleged that he accepted about $100,000 worth of travel, meals, and entertainment from Turkish officials who wanted to gain influence. Prosecutors also say Adams obtained illegal campaign contributions. GC, NY.

Biden to survey hurricane damage in the Carolinas

Vance, Walz disagree over threats to democracy

VP hopefuls engage in civil, respectful debate

The vice presidential nominees engaged in a calm and civil debate that was unlike some of the campaign trail rhetoric. The tone of the JD Vance-Tim Walz debate was strikingly polite and respectful in the polarized environment of the 2024 campaign. But the friendly discussion didn’t shy away from sharp differences between the two campaigns on a host of issues. Instead of aiming their attacks at each other, the two VP hopefuls went after each other’s running mates.

Vance, Walz discuss Mideast crisis and debate global leadership

At their vice presidential debate, JD Vance and Tim Walz discussed the Mideast crisis and who would provide the best global leadership. Debating on a day when Iran fired missiles at Israel, Walz touted Kamala Harris as a steady leader and argued that Trump is unstable. But Vance said there were fewer wars during the Trump administration and that peace was achieved through strength. Both men voiced support for Israel in a debate that was incredibly civil and respectful in tone.

It’s VP Debate Night for Vance, Walz in New York City

It’s Vice Presidential Debate Night between JD Vance and Tim Walz. Tonight’s debate is the only scheduled face-to-face encounter between the two vice presidential nominees. With no more presidential debates on the schedule before the election, the VP debate could be the 2024 campaign’s final major prime-time event. With the two campaigns in a virtual tie and the unpredictable nature of this contest, tonight’s undercard between Vance and Walz could matter more than most VP debates.

After bickering from afar, VP nominees to face each other

The vice presidential debate could feature some sharp exchanges. Governor Tim Walz made national headlines by calling the Republican ticket “weird.” Senator JD Vance has repeatedly labeled his Democratic rivals as extreme liberals. After criticizing each other from afar, the two VP nominees will face each other for 90 minutes on the debate stage. Tonight’s face-off comes five weeks before Election Day and with polls showing a neck-and-neck race.

Ground rules for the Vance-Walz vice presidential debate

The ground rules are set for the New York City debate between Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz. The two sides agreed that the vice presidential candidates’ microphones will stay on while their opponent is speaking, unlike the two presidential debates. Each candidate will have two minutes for a closing statement. Vance won a virtual coin toss and will speak last. CBS, which is hosting the debate, also said it would be up to the candidates, not the moderators, to fact-check each other in real-time. There will be no audience.

Vance, Walz in final preparations before their VP debate

The two vice presidential candidates have been getting ready for Tuesday night’s debate. Both Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz have engaged in traditional preparation, complete with mock debate sessions. Vance was prepping and practicing in Ohio, with Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer standing in for Walz. On the Democratic side, Walz Walz, also worked with a stand-in — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. CBS will host the 90-minute debate Tuesday night at its Broadcast Center in New York City.

NYC mayor accepted harmless ‘courtesies,’ not bribes, his lawyer says

New York City’s mayor wants a judge to toss out the bribery charges against him. Mayor Eric Adams this week launched a legal attack on the federal corruption case against him. His attorney asked a judge to dismiss charges that the Democratic mayor accepted lavish travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals in exchange for favors. An attorney for Adams described the gifts as “courtesies,” not a federal crime. And he denied there was any quid pro quo.

Biden hopes to visit Helene-damaged communities soon

President Biden says the damage from Hurricane Helene is “stunning.” The president was briefed again on Sunday evening about the impact of the devastating storm on an enormous swath of the Southeast. Among the tragic stories is the North Carolina county that includes the city of Asheville, where at least 30 people were killed. Mr. Biden says he hopes to visit Hurricane Helene-impacted areas this week as long as it does not disrupt rescue and recovery operations.

Biden “saddened” by Helen’s death, destruction; promises aid

President Biden is expressing sorrow over the loss of life and devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The president said he’s “deeply saddened” by the aftermath of the storm across the Southeast, and that his administration is “focused on life-saving and life-sustaining response and recovery efforts.” “The road to recovery will be long,” he said, but he pledged ongoing support and the necessary federal resources to help communities begin to rebuild.

Trump, Harris send Ukraine’s president different signals

Ukraine’s president is receiving different signals from Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Vice President Harris, followed by face-to-face talks with former President Trump on Friday. The two meetings offered a contrast. At the White House, Harris emphasized unwavering U-S support for Ukraine’s struggle against the Russian invasion and slammed Trump’s suggestion that Kyiv should give up territory for the sake of peace. In New York, Trump called for a “fair deal” after previously criticizing U-S assistance for Ukraine and praising Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Pentagon not supporting Israel’s operations in Lebanon

The U-S military is not supporting Israel’s operations in Lebanon. The Pentagon confirmed that Israel is not receiving any U-S intelligence support as it carries out strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. President Biden is calling for a 21-day ceasefire, which has been rejected by Israel so far. During a speech at the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to keep up operations against Hezbollah until tens of thousands of Israeli citizens displaced by rocket attacks can return home.

Biden calls Hezbollah leader’s death “measure of justice”

President Biden calls Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s leader a “measure of justice.” In a written statement, the president said that Hezbollah under Hasan Nasrallah’s watch has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans over the past four decades. While Mr. Biden said the United States “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself” against Iran-supported terrorist groups, he said his administration’s “aim is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means.”

Courthouses warned of possible election-related threats

Courthouses are being told to prepare for possible security threats as the presidential election approaches. The nation’s judges are being warned that courthouses could face security threats as the November election approaches. The warning was issued by a top security official in the federal judiciary, who noted “security concerns related to events and incidents connected to the upcoming election, including recent suspicious letters sent to state officials.” Courts were encouraged to discuss potential local threats with law enforcement and review protective measures.

Biden administration tries to head off strike by port operators

The Biden administration is trying to head off a possible strike by operators at East and Gulf coast ports. With a union contract set to expire after Monday, top administration officials met with port operators ahead of a possible strike. They told members of the United States Maritime Alliance that they should be at the negotiating table with the union. The administration delivered the same message to the union earlier in the week. Unionized workers object to some new technologies that they say could ultimately cause job losses.

US charges three Iranians with hacking Trump campaign

Iranian operatives charged with hacking Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the criminal charges, which accuse three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps of hacking the Trump campaign, sending stolen information to media organizations, and trying to disrupt the November 5th election. Garland said U-S officials have seen “increasingly aggressive Iranian cyber activity during this election cycle.” Iran dismissed the accusations as baseless.

DOJ supports immunity for UN relief workers with Hamas ties

The Biden administration says Palestinian relief workers accused of helping Hamas terrorists should not be prosecuted. Last month, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency fired at least nine of its employees for their connection to the October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel. Massacre victims and families accuse the agency of aiding and abetting Hamas. But in federal court, the Justice Department argued that the UNWRA employees should be immune from prosecution. The DOJ said the U-S “takes no position” on the allegations, but supports United Nations immunity.

FEMA administrator in Florida to assess hurricane damage

The head of FEMA is in Florida to see the impact of Hurricane Helene. FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell says President Biden dispatched her to Florida to survey and assess hurricane damage. Criswell says it’s important for her to be on-the-ground in order to quickly validate damage so the federal government can get major disaster declarations in place faster.

New gun technology executive order signed by Biden

President Biden has signed an executive order on gun technology. The order seeks to restrict new technologies that make guns easier to fire and obtain. It also lays out a plan to help schools create active shooter drills that maximize effectiveness and limit trauma. As he signed the order, the president said, “we can do better.” The president’s action comes just a few days after four people were killed and 17 others were wounded in a mass shooting in Alabama.