Northeast
Democrats skip testimony from GOP lawmakers with sniper experience at Trump assassination attempt hearing
Democratic lawmakers on the House task force investigating the attempted assassinations of former President Donald Trump skipped the final portion of the panel’s first hearing Thursday, which featured the two Republicans who have been conducting their own “parallel” investigation into the shooting.
Reps. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., and Cory Mills, R-Fla., two Republicans and both military veterans, took part in the second portion of the hearing, but the Democratic minority fumed behind the scenes that their leadership was not informed of their testimony until late Wednesday afternoon, Fox News sources said. Some Democratic lawmakers were not informed until Thursday morning, however.
The move was seen as the first bipartisan split in what has been a united effort to investigate the incident thus far.
The Trump assassination attempt task force, led by Reps. Mike Kelly, inset left, and Jason Crow, inset right, have formally launched a probe. (Getty Images)
SECRET SERVICE BOSS SAYS VITAL INFO NOT RELAYED OVER RADIO, DELAYING RESPONSE TO WOULD-BE RALLY ASSASSIN
“We did not receive notice of the second panel until late yesterday. We didn’t have an opportunity to present our own witnesses,” Crow said when asked about Mills and Crane. “[Task Force Chairman Mike Kelly, R-Pa.] and I are still very committed to having this be bipartisan, consensus-based, and it’s my hope that we can return to that … approach going forward.”
Kelly similarly told reporters that this would not impede the task force’s bipartisan mission and said that he invited Mills and Crane to testify because of their expertise, welcoming their assessment of the security perimeter for the rally.
He brushed off Democrats’ absence during their portion of the hearing, suggesting that some members may have had flights out of Washington, D.C., per KTLA.
“If you want to participate, you can participate. If you decide not to, you can make that decision too,” Kelly said of the members.
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., the ranking Democrat on the panel, said lawmakers were frustrated, but he made clear that it was not aimed at Thursday’s witnesses.
“We did not receive notice of the second panel until late yesterday,” Crow said. “It’s unclear to us what testimony will be provided by these witnesses that relates to today’s hearing.”
The first portion of the hearing, the panel heard from a former Secret Service agent, as well as local and state law enforcement officials who were present at the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where one attendee was killed and Trump himself was shot in the ear.
Reps. Cory Mills, R-Fla., a military veteran, took part in the second portion of the hearing. (David Dee Delgado)
TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW GUNMAN EVADED SECURITY
Witnesses and lawmakers repeatedly signaled that a lack of clear communication of security plans from the Secret Service helped lead to a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, being able to open fire on the rally from a rooftop just outside the security perimeter.
“In the days leading up to the rally, it was not a single mistake that allowed Crooks to outmaneuver one of our country’s most elite group of security professionals. There were security failures on multiple fronts,” Kelly said.
“The communication between the Secret Service and local and state partners was disjointed and unclear,” Crow said. “It was the fault of the Secret Service, because the Secret Service is ultimately responsible for the protection at events like that. They did not do their job. They did not provide the clarity and the guidance to local law enforcement. That was pretty clear to me,” Crow told reporters.
One bullet grazed Trump’s right ear, while firefighter Corey Comperatore was fatally struck. Rally-goers James Copenhaver and David Dutch were also shot and injured.
One key question has been why there were no law enforcement personnel on top of the AGR building where Crooks eventually climbed up and took his shots, considering that it was so close to the rally stage and afforded a clear line of sight to Trump.
“A 10-year-old looking at that satellite image could have seen that the greatest threat posed to the president that day” was the building near the stage, said Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas.
Former President Donald Trump just seconds after the Butler, Pennsylvania, assassination attempt. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The panel — comprised of seven Republicans and six Democrats — has spent the last two months analyzing the security failures at the rally, conducting nearly two dozen interviews with law enforcement and receiving more than 2,800 pages of documents from the Secret Service.
An interim report released Wednesday from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is also conducting an investigation, said the Secret Service failed to give clear instructions on how state and local officials should cover the building where the gunman eventually took up position. The report also said the agency didn’t make sure it could share information with local partners in real-time.
Multiple lawmakers indicated that they are looking to hear from Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe again, particularly after Congress recently allocated $230 million in additional funding for the agency.
Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Connecticut
Connecticut celebrates and sends off three James Beard Award finalists
Connecticut formally sent off three culinarians on Tuesday afternoon in preparation for the nationally recognized James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony.
The sendoff took place at Mystic River Park at 11 a.m., and formally recognized Jade Ayala from the Port of Call in Mystic, chef David DiStasi from Materia Ristorante in Bantam, and chef David Standridge from the Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic.
The awards ceremony is on Monday, June 15, in Chicago.
“It’s just incredibly gratifying to see the recognition that’s been so long deserved finally come here to the state,” Chef Standridge said, reflecting on the honor.
Chef Standridge and Chef DiStasi are both finalists for Outstanding Chef, while Ayala and the Port of Call are competing in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverage award.
“Mystic has a really great way of preserving history here, and I’m really just happy and proud to be a part of their story and Mystic’s story here. Thank you for having us,” Ayala said.
The ceremony will be livestreamed through the Connecticut Restaurant Hospitality Association on June 15.
Maine
Central Maine Power bills to fall this summer
Central Maine Power customers will see some relief in electric costs this summer after state utility regulators approved new distribution rates for the company.
The new prices reflect CMP’s revenue needs after the company paid more than a $100 million spent to recover from damaging winter storms in 2023 and 2024.
Households using an average of 550 kilowatt hours a month should save about $8.55 on their bills, according to the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The new prices go into effect July 1.
Commissioners also rejected CMP’s request to delay enacting new distribution prices while the agency considers the company’s separate rate case.
“It is uncertain when temporary rates may be approved or at what amount, but at a time when customers are struggling with high costs across the economy I cannot support a delay in rate relief,” said Commission Chair Phil Bartlett.
Electric prices in Maine have soared in recent years, because of expensive storm recovery, volatile natural gas prices and financial incentives for a community solar farm program, among other factors.
Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn said the rate reduction was welcome for electric customers dealing with high costs.
Sanborn said the commission’s decision to pay off a $20 million “storm recovery balance.” The account is basically money loaned to ratepayer by CMP that is owed to the company with carrying costs of about $140,000 per month, according to the PUC.
“That is a lot of interest every year that we have been paying,” Sanborn said.
Central Maine Power has submitted a proposal for new rates that would raise prices about $18 a month, according to the PUC.
In its rate proposal, CMP said it needs more revenue to help harden its infrastructure to future storms, improve reliability and hire full time staff to avoid hiring expensive contractors.
Even though the company is asking for higher rates, it says the package will amount to a slight decrease for customers because it has repaid storm recovery.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the rate adjustment approved by the PUC.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Man Arrested On Gun, Drug, Carjacking And More Charges: Cops
A Massachusetts man was arrested on numerous charges, including gun and drug offenses, police said.
Georgie Estrella, 41, of Attleboro was arrested shortly after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday on charges of manufacturing, delivering or possessing with intent the to deliver crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, LSD, crack cocaine, psilocybin, clonazepam, alprazolam, and buprenorphine, carrying a pistol or revolver without a license or permit, possession of a firearm by certain persons prohibited, carrying a firearm when committing a crime of violence, possession of a firearm while committing a controlled substance violation, alteration of marks of identification on firearms, carjacking, attempted larceny of more than $10,000, assault on a police officer, vandalism or malicious injury to property, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer in the execution of duty, and disorderly conduct, the Rhode Island State Police said in a media release.
Estrella was also arrested on three warrants charging him with failing to appear in court for drug cases, according to the release.
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