More presumed human remains recovered from submersible that imploded, killing 5, Coast Guard says
The Coast Guard says it has recovered remaining debris, including presumed human remains, from a submersible that imploded in June on its way to explore the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five onboard.
Texas congressman to nominate former President Donald Trump to be next Speaker of the House
Following a successful effort to oust Republican Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, one Texas congressman said he intends to nominate former President Donald Trump as the next Speaker of the House.
Post-Tropical Ophelia Continues To Pose A Risk Of Coastal Flooding And Locally Heavy Rain From Washington D.C. To New York City Today
At 500 AM EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Ophelia was located near latitude 37.7 North, longitude 77.3 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the north-northeast near 12...
U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is running for Houston mayor
Jackson Lee enters a mayoral contest that is already well underway. The early frontrunner is state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, and his competitors include Chris Hollins, the former Harris County clerk, and Amanda Edwards, a former City Council member.
This is what abortion protests look like in Washington D.C. right now
The Supreme Court on Friday stripped away the nationโs constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for nearly a half-century. The decision by the courtโs conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling and is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
โMarch For Our Livesโ protests against gun violence sweep nation following hundreds of mass shootings
Thousands of demonstrators are expected to take the streets in hundreds of protests across the country Saturday to push lawmakers to take action on gun violence in the wake of recent mass shootings inย Uvalde, Texasย andย Buffalo, New York.
Jan. 6 has been called an insurrection, so why has no one been charged with that crime?
For the past year, words like sedition, treason, and insurrection have been used to describe what happened on Jan. 6, 2021.Yet, none of the hundreds of people charged in connection with that day have been charged with those specific crimes.
โGame-changerโ: Black colleges poised for major tech funding boost under Biden bill
Administrators at historically Black colleges are eagerly awaiting passage of President Joe Bidenโs Build Back Better agenda, with hopes that the billโs record funding for HBCUs could put the schools on a path to compete with top-tier research universities specializing in science and technology.
San Antonio Democrat says he returned from Washington to negotiate voting bill with Republicans\
On Wednesday, a State Representative from San Antonio, Philip Cortez, spoke out about why he decided to return to Texas after heading to Washington D.C. with a group of Democrats protesting the passage of House Bill 3.
Supreme Court tosses Texas-led Affordable Care Act challenge, preserving sweeping health care law
The 7-2 ruling said the plaintiffs didnโt have standing to sue over the law. The courtโs ruling did not include an official opinion on whether the law, commonly known as Obamacare, was constitutional.
Trump impeachment lawyer defending man in Capitol riot
A lawyer who defended former President Donald Trump during his impeachment trial against a charge of inciting the riot at the U.S. Capitol is now representing a man charged alongside other members and associates of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group in the Jan. 6 attack.
Freshman GOP Texas congressman made a personal pitch to Joe Biden: Let me help with criminal justice reform
Man charged in Capitol riot plot to be released from jail
An illuminated traffic barrier is seen on the Capitol grounds before sunrise in Washington, Monday, March 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)A man charged with conspiring with members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group in the attack on the U.S. Capitol will be released from jail while he awaits trial, a judge ruled Friday after challenging the strength of the evidence against him. It's the biggest conspiracy case the U.S. has brought so far in the Capitol attack, as investigators narrow in on organized extremist groups like the Oath Keepers and another far-right group, the Proud Boys. Authorities have acknowledged thereโs no evidence Caldwell was a dues-paying member of the Oath Keepers but have described him as a supporter who appeared to play a โleadership roleโ within the group. Caldwell's lawyer, David Fischer, said prosecutors have provided no evidence that the riot was anything but spontaneous.
U.S. House passes COVID-19 relief bill that would give millions of Texans $1,400 checks
Known as the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion bill shores up and builds upon previous COVID-19 spending bill provisions. On Saturday, both of the state's Republican senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, voted against the bill. The bill also funds an additional $300 in unemployment payments per week until early September. The House passed a previous version of this bill in late February but Democratic moderates in the Senate were successful in scaling back the legislation. The original House bill also included a minimum wage hike to $15 per hour, but the Senate parliamentarian ruled out that provision.
Capitol Police chief appeals for National Guard to stay
Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Worried about continuing threats, the acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police appealed to congressional leaders Thursday to use their influence to keep National Guard troops at the Capitol, two months after the law enforcement breakdowns of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection. Pittman said she needed the leaders' assistance with the three-member Capitol Police Board, which reports to them. Paul Irving, who served on the Capitol Police Board as House sergeant-at-arms, denied that Sund asked him to call the Guard. He ultimately called the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard just before 2 p.m., who in turn testified that the request for help was delayed by the Defense Department. โWe have the razor wire, we have the National Guard.
Police uncover โpossible plotโ by militia to breach Capitol
The U.S. Capitol Police say they have intelligence showing there is a "possible plot" by a militia group to breach the Capitol on Thursday. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Capitol Police say they have uncovered intelligence of a โpossible plotโ by a militia group to breach the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, nearly two months after a mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the iconic building to try to stop Congress from certifying now-President Joe Biden's victory. Members of the Three Percenters were among the extremists who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. Police were ill-prepared for the mass of Trump supporters in tactical gear, some armed, and it took hours for National Guard reinforcements to come. โWe have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4.โ Police did not identify the militia group in the statement.
General: Pentagon hesitated on sending Guard to Capitol riot
Guard troops who had been waiting on buses were then rushed to the Capitol, arriving in 18 minutes, Walker said. Much of the focus at Wednesday's hearing was on communications between the National Guard and the Defense Department. Contee said Sund pleaded with Army officials to deploy National Guard troops as the rioting escalated. AdAccording to the Defense Department, Walker was called at 3 p.m. by Army officials, and was told to prepare Guard troops to deploy. Thousands of National Guard troops are still patrolling the fenced-in Capitol, and multiple committees across Congress are investigating Jan. 6.
Fence at Capitol blocks DC government from enacting new laws
In this Jan. 19, 2021 photo, riot fencing and razor wire reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Capitol Police say they are stepping up security at Washington-area transportation hubs and taking other steps to bolster travel security for lawmakers. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ That foreboding black fence erected around the U.S. Capitol building has had an unintentional side effect: walling off the local governmentโs ability to enact new laws. Last Friday, they did the same with a member of Vice President Kamala Harris' staff; Harris, as vice president, presides over the Senate. Only three D.C. bills have been directly overturned since 1975, but members of Congress do sometimes seek to alter or influence D.C. laws by attaching budget riders to certain bills.
LIVE: White House press secretary holds briefing
WASHINGTON D.C. โ The White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is expected to hold a briefing Tuesday morning. According to the White House schedule, she will be joined by Domestic Policy Adviser Susan Rice. It is unclear what they will be addressing during the briefing. The briefing is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Click2Houston.com plans to offer a live stream of the event.
2 local defendants in Capitol riot appear in Houston federal court
HOUSTON โ Two defendants charged with taking part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 made court appearances at the Houston federal building on Thursday. One of the suspects is former Houston police officer Tam Pham while the other is Joshua Lollar, 39, who came to the federal building to post bond. Federal prosecutors accuse Lollar of clashing with capitol police two weeks ago as he made his way into the Capitol building during the riot. Federal agents said Lollar posted photos of himself inside the Capitol and even broadcast a Facebook Live post as he made his way in. On Thursday, Lollar arrived at the federal building, posted a deposit on a 50,000 bond and was fitted with an electronic monitor.
FBI increases reward on pipe bomb suspect
The FBI is increasing the reward being offered for information leading to the identity of the person responsible for placing pipe bombs in Washington D.C. on January 6th. (NBC NEWS) โ The FBI is increasing the reward being offered for information leading to the identity of the person responsible for placing pipe bombs in Washington D.C. on January 6th. Two pipe bombs were found at the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters while supporters of President Trump were rioting at the U.S. Capitol. Neither bomb exploded, but officials said they were dangerous and could have caused โgreat harm to the public.โRead more: http://bit.ly/39fToaf
Democrats plan lightning Trump impeachment, want him out now
โWe must take action,โ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared on a private conference call with Democrats. Trump has not publicly made such threats, but officials warn of grave danger if the president is left unchecked. Asked about impeachment, he said, โThatโs a decision for the Congress to make.โThe Democrats are considering lightning-quick action. Another leading Republican critic of Trump, Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, said he would โdefinitely considerโ impeachment. The House impeached Trump in 2019, but the Republican-led Senate acquitted him in early 2020.
Texas NAACP calls out law enforcementโs response to Capitol riot as a double standard
The insurrection in Washington D.C. Wednesday has raised questions about how police reacted to the crowd that stormed the U.S. Capitol, with some critiquing law enforcementโs response as a double standard of justice. At issue is the question if rioters were Black, or of color, would the police have handled their response differently? Howard raised the question Thursday during a forum hosted by the Texas NAACP on day one of its statewide convention, which is being held virtually. Linder, Howard, and other leaders from Texas NAACP compared law enforcementโs response Wednesday to how it handled Black Lives Matter protesters over the summer. โI think a big part of my response to you is trust,โ Randall said, in response to a question raised by Howard.
Social media users point out contrasting responses to storming of the U.S. Capitol in comparison to Black Lives Matter protests
Far-right social media users for weeks openly hinted in widely shared posts that chaos would erupt at the U.S. Capitol while Congress convened to certify the election results. โ Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) January 6, 2021These guys are engaging in hand-to-hand combat with police after storming the US Capitol. The Guard was mobilized Wednesday afternoon to support local police following the storming of the Capitol. Members of the National Guard and the Washington D.C. police keep a small group of demonstrators away from the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Getty Images)The Defense Department has activated approximately 6,200 members of the National Guard to support the Capitol Police through the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
Ted Cruz objects to certification of Arizona's electoral votes, initiating effort to challenge Joe Biden's victory
Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during a hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. in December of 2020. Credit: Pool/ABACA via Reuters ConnectU.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Wednesday objected to the counting of Arizona's electoral votes, starting a process of challenging President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the Electoral College. Cruz stood during a joint session of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate to register his objection alongside U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona. Vice President Mike Pence then asked whether the objection was in writing and signed by a senator and Cruz answered, "It is." The proceeding Cruz engaged in is ceremonial and his objection is doomed to fail in both the House and the Senate. The state's other senator, John Cornyn, announced he would not join this effort, but a number of Texas House Republicans announced in recent days they would object.
Austin-based political consultant Emmy Ruiz to join White House as director of political strategy and outreach
A view of the White House from Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. on Oct. 31, 2020. Credit: Yegor Aleyev/TASS via REUTERSAustin-based political consultant Emmy Ruiz is headed to the White House to serve as President-elect Joe Bidenโs director of political strategy and outreach. [She worked briefly in a contract position for The Texas Tribune Festival in 2014.] In her new role, she will serve as Bidenโs political eyes and ears and work with Congress on political matters. Known in short-hand as the White House political director, the role is typically the first point of contact for members of Congress on matters like fundraising, campaign appearances and endorsements. Born in Harlingen, Ruiz is a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio.
The Latest: McCarrick accuser sees comfort in Vatican report
Scott Applewhite, File)The Latest on the Vatican's investigation of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and allegations of sexual misconduct (all times local). ___2:30 p.m.A Virginia man who accuses former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of sexually abusing him says he finds some comfort in the Vaticanโs release of a report about the former prelate but he wants a public apology. โIts greatest failure is that it lets Pope Francis off the hook: nobody gave him the files, he knew only that there had been rumors, etc.,โ she says. ___NoonAn advocate in Argentina for survivors of clerical sex abuse says ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick caused tremendous hurt and laments that church officials knew but did not act. It calls the report โone step in the right directionโ but says the Vatican must ensure that past mistakes will not be repeated.
USPS ordered to โsweepโ Houston facility for mail-in ballots
HOUSTON โ A federal judge in Washington D.C. ordered USPS to โsweepโ the Houston processing facility on Wednesday for any undelivered mail-in ballots after the agency failed to meet a court-ordered deadline on Election Day. To โsweepโ means to โexamine every place in the plant to make sure no ballots have been left behind,โ USPS said in court documents. Judge Sullivan ordered USPS to provide an update on compliance with the order at 10 a.m. on Thursday. In Houston, 1,347 mail-in ballots were unaccounted for or not scanned. In fact, last Friday, USPS ordered its offices to identify mail-in ballots and deliver them directly to election offices before they could be scanned at processing facilities.
Pope names 13 new cardinals, including 1st Black US prelate
Pope Francis on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, named 13 new cardinals, including Washington D.C. Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who would become the first Black U.S. prelate to earn the coveted red hat. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)VATICAN CITY โ Pope Francis on Sunday named 13 new cardinals, including Washington D.C. Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who would become the first Black U.S. prelate to earn the coveted red hat. The pope, when elected in 2013, chose St. Francis of Assisi as his namesake saint. Gregory said in a statement that becoming a cardinal would allow him to work more closely with the pontiff in caring for the Catholic Church. Some cardinals head powerful Vatican offices, and pontiffs frequently turn to cardinals for advice.
Houston named among Top 20 rattiest cities in the nation, according to new study
HOUSTON โ Rats are notorious in major cities like Chicago and New York. But Houston still made the Top 20 rattiest cities, according to a 2020 list released by pest control company Orkin. While Washington D.C. and San Francisco closed out the Top 5. The list of rodent-infested cities ranks metros by the number of new rodent treatments performed from Sept. 1, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2020. Miami (-1)To view the complete list of 50 U.S. cities, visit here.
DC Police release body camera footage from fatal shooting
Police in the nations capital released body camera footage from the officer who fatally shot the Black 18-year-old in the chest. Deon Kay, 18, was shot in the chest Wednesday afternoon in the midst of a foot pursuit with police officers. The officer turns around, sees Kay running a few feet behind him and fires a single shot into Kay's chest. Bowser said her administration had rushed to release the video to help the public answer some questions. Emergency legislation passed by the D.C. Council in June requires the police to release any body camera footage from any fatal shootings or use-of-force incidents within five days.
DC mayor to order mandatory masks as infections rise again
WASHINGTON With coronavirus cases rising, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Wednesday that she will issue an executive order making face masks mandatory outside the home an unprecedented step in the nation's capital. Bowser said the order would include enforcement language detailing possible fines for violations. After saying they had successfully blunted the infection curve earlier this summer, health officials say the infection numbers have slowly crept upward, reaching triple digits on Wednesday for the first time in weeks. Health Department Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt says her office is particularly concerned with data that shows most new infections aren't coming from people already in quarantine or on the contact trace list of an infected person. That, she said, indicates a high level of community spread.
U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of DACA recipients, says Trump administration's move to overturn it was arbitrary
People gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2019 as the justices heard oral arguments on the Trump administrations bid to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in Washington D.C. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstThe U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the Trump administration's efforts to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, declaring in a 5-to-4 opinion that the 2012 initiative was inappropriately terminated by the Trump administration. The court's decision comes nearly three years after Trump announced he was terminating the policy, known as DACA, that has protected more than 130,000 Texans from deportation, the second-highest total after California. Trump's reason for ending the program echoed what many Republicans, including some in Texas, said when it was enacted: immigration law is under the purview of the U.S. Congress and not the executive branch alone. The program gave them a renewable, two-year work permit and a reprieve from deportation. This is a developing story and will be updated