Agents search Rep. Omar's Washington home in criminal probe as she vows she won't 'be silenced'
WASHINGTON (AP) — Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she will “not be silenced” and calls a search of her Washington home part of President Donald Trump’s “intimidation” campaign. House Democratic leaders are condemning the search of Omar’s home as an “abuse of power” by the Republican administration. Federal agents searched the Democratic congresswoman’s home as part of a criminal investigation. The search in the final weeks of Omar's reelection bid was conducted Monday by Homeland Security Investigations agents. Details about the investigation are unclear. Republicans have in the past accused Omar of committing immigration fraud, an allegation she denies.
What to know about the search of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's home
President Donald Trump's administration has taken the unusual step of searching Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's home in Washington, just three weeks before the midterm election. Department of Justice protocol has long avoided legal action against politicians so close to voting. The Trump administration has moved to target the president's perceived foes and he has long criticized Omar and the Somali immigrant community she hails from and represents in her Minneapolis district. Administration officials have previously indicated they may target Omar over immigration issues. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000 after obtaining asylum in the United States five years earlier.
Selma Blair accused of attacking 2 flight attendants and assaulting a police officer and nurse
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Selma Blair has been arrested after she was accused of injuring two flight attendants on a trip from Los Angeles to New York. She has also been charged with two counts of assault for allegedly kicking a police officer and a nurse after the flight. She has pleaded not guilty to those two charges, and faces more for the events of the flight. Authorities said Monday that Blair was detained late Sunday after the Delta Air Lines jet landed in New York. A Blair representative told The Associated Press that the actor had a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct.
Emergency help was delayed by confusion after failed execution of Christa Pike, 911 calls reveal
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Emergency help for Christa Pike was delayed by confusion among first responders and Tennessee prison officials following her failed execution last month. That's according to 911 dispatch recordings reviewed by The Associated Press. The recordings show precious minutes elapsed as officials and responders tried to figure out whether a request for emergency help in the execution chamber was legitimate. The first call came in at 8:40 p.m. on Sept. 30. It was about a half an hour before prison officials affirmed it was legitimate. Pike had been hospitalized after surviving the state's attempt to execute her for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of a classmate. She has since been discharged and is back at the women's prison.
Six Flags closes 9 rides after 1 person dies in an incident involving a roller coaster in Georgia
Six Flags has temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six amusement parks. The news came Monday after one person died and several others were injured in an incident involving a coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, near Atlanta. A spokesperson for the park says they closed similar attractions across their parks “out of an abundance of caution." Officials did not confirm how the person died or what caused the others to be injured. A Six Flags spokesperson says the park and local authorities responded immediately and that they are fully cooperating with local authorities as they investigate. This death would be at least the seventh at the Georgia park.
Authorities name the attacker and most of the 8 victims in last week's Erie mass shooting
Authorities have released the names of the gunman and six of the eight people he shot and killed at a Pennsylvania home. Erie County coroner Lyell Cook said Monday that the man behind Friday's mass shooting in Erie was 45-year-old Matthew Stone Sr. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah has said Stone was related to seven of the victims, including the two young children who were killed. Cook says the adult victims ranged in age from 19 to 51. One was the mother of the two kids who were killed and was due to give birth on Monday.
Storms cause 5 deaths in Mexico as flood risk eases in southwestern US
ENSENADA, México (AP) — Hurricane Simon is still pounding Mexico's Pacific coast as it remains offshore. Authorities said Monday that five people have died in Mexico due to the hurricane and the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel. Rachel caused street flooding and other damage in Mexico’s Baja California state. Four people died after Rachel swept through over the weekend and at least six were missing. The storm's remnants also caused flooding in the southwestern U.S. The risk had mostly ended by Monday evening. Power was gradually being restored after Hurricane Isaias hit the U.S. Southeast.
Pacific hurricane region sets record for big, long-lasting storms thanks to El Niño
El Niño and other factors have combined to turbocharge the central and eastern Pacific hurricane region to record activity. Using a measurement that looks at both wind speed and longevity of storms, meteorologists say storms east of the international date line are the busiest they've ever been. Hurricane Polo set the record for the most days at the top of the chart at Category 5. And on Tuesday, they'll set another record for most days with a hurricane. The Pacific has seen five major hurricanes in a row and there's something with a 90% chance of becoming a named storm brewing off the Mexican coast.
FACT FOCUS: Posts falsely claim Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico was at a mental facility
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican officials and conservative social media users are spreading unfounded rumors that state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in a competitive Texas Senate race, was treated in an Ohio mental health facility last week. This is false. The facility where he was said to have been treated has denied he was ever a patient there. Talarico and his campaign have said he was recovering from the flu. Also, Talarico’s schedule doesn’t align with what was presented as evidence of his stay at the mental health facility.
Federal judge orders Trump administration to halt work for a day on historic DC golf course
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to halt work for a day on a historic D.C. golf course, pending more court action. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the order Monday after a tense three-hour hearing in which she harshly criticized the government for having deceived her with its actions over the holiday weekend. It’s the latest example of the erosion of trust between the government and the independent judiciary as the Trump administration tries to steamroll scrutiny of its actions, from the White House ballroom to immigration enforcement.
