NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Episode Date: August 28, 2024

Special counsel files revised election interference indictment against Trump; Trump says he will take part in first debate with Harris; Tens of millions deal with scorching heat, severe weather; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the new indictment against former President Trump. The special counsel taking another swing at prosecuting Donald Trump for election interference. Special counsel Jack Smith securing a superseding indictment against the former president. A new grand jury hearing the evidence and determining crimes were committed. But the key difference tonight, some key claims removed. What it all has to do with that blockbuster Supreme Court hearing on presidential immunity. Plus, after weeks, the Harris-Walls ticket agreeing to a sit-down interview, what we've just learned. Also tonight, the extreme heat across the middle of the country, more than 70 million on alert.

In Chicago, the heat index hitting a sweltering 115 degrees, plus severe storms downing trees, unleashing hail and sending state fair goers running for cover. In the Northeast, the state reporting its first deadly case in 10 years of a rare mosquito-borne virus. The deadly accident at Atlanta's airport, a plane tire reportedly exploding, two workers killed, a third seriously injured. What we're learning, the hostage rescued from Gaza and back on Israeli soil after 326 days in captivity. His family seen running to greet him. The drug maker slashing prices on one of its super popular weight loss drugs. But why now? And is there a catch? This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. And good evening. I'm Tom

Yamas in for Lester. In this already extraordinary election season, there is another stunning development to report tonight. Special Counsel Jack Smith obtaining a new indictment from a federal grand jury in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump. It follows the recent Supreme Court ruling that found presidents have broad immunity for official acts while in office. This new indictment removes part of the case covered by that Supreme Court ruling. And it comes the day after we learn that the special counsel has asked a federal appeals court to reinstate the classified documents case against the former president. It all adds up to new complications for Trump just over two months before the election. As we get new reaction from the former president tonight, we start with senior

legal correspondent Laura Jarrett. Tonight, the Justice Department trying to breathe new life into the criminal case against former President Trump for trying to reverse the last election as he runs for reelection. The GOP nominee now facing a superseding indictment in Washington, D.C., with the same core charges but stripped away of some of the alleged acts the Supreme Court has said are off limitslimits and immune from prosecution. Prosecutors had accused Mr. Trump of a sweeping plot to stay in office, leaning on his DOJ, VP, and state officials to help him overturn the election results, all culminating in the violent attack on the Capitol on January 6th.

My office will seek a speedy trial so that our evidence can be tested in court. But the case was marred in appeals and delays. The Supreme Court's conservative majority dealing the real blow in July, finding Mr. Trump cannot be prosecuted for any official acts as president, sending the case back to the lower court to parse out what he can be prosecuted for, if anything. You're not going to do anything if you don't have immunity, because otherwise you're going to be prosecuted after, if anything. You're not going to do anything if you don't have immunity, because otherwise you're going to be prosecuted after you leave office. The former president pled not guilty to all charges. And tonight, a source familiar with

his legal strategy tells NBC News he will do the same for this revised indictment, as his defense believes it includes the same fatal flaws, including Mr. Trump's pressure on his former VP, his new running mate pouncing on that. I think it's clearly an effort to try to do more election interference from Jack Smith. He should be ashamed of himself. And it's one of the reasons why we have to win, because he should not be anywhere near power.

All right, Laura Jarrett joins us now live in studio. So, Laura, we're getting new reaction from the former president. Yeah, Mr. Trump cranking out a number of posts on his social media platform saying that the special counsel essentially rewrote this indictment to try to be in line with the Supreme Court's decision, when in fact the special counsel stripped out things like his conversations with DOJ and other advisors. But he did leave in the conversations with Pence. And so that's going to be why they try to dismiss that indictment. But it's going to take time, Tom. So we have debates in the election right around the corner. Will this new indictment keep them off the campaign trail? No. And the prior indictment wasn't going to do it either. There's going to be rounds of briefing. There's

going to be rounds of arguments. We're talking weeks, if not longer, not days. But this is going to be back in front of the trial court on September 5th. All right. Laura Jarrett leading us off tonight. Laura, we thank you for that. And speaking of the debate earlier today, the former president said he will take part in that first debate with Vice President Kamala Harris set for two weeks from today. And news tonight, the Harris-Walls ticket will sit down for their first interview. Garrett Haake is following it all tonight. Garrett, good evening. Hey, Tom, good evening. And yeah, just a day after casting doubt about his participation, Donald Trump now says he's once again in agreement with the Harris campaign

to move ahead with that debate on September 10th. But while Trump campaign aides say the rules will be the same as that last debate against President Biden, including microphones muted for the candidate not speaking, the Harris campaign says negotiations on the mics are ongoing and in a statement mocked Trump for, quote, letting his handlers overrule him on that issue. Separately, we learned tonight that Harris and running mate Tim Walz will sit for their first joint interview Thursday in Georgia on CNN. Tom. All right, Garrett Haig for us. Garrett, we thank you for that. We want to turn now to the dangerous conditions outside for so many. Much of the country dealing with extreme late summer heat, in some cases breaking records, as well as flash flooding.

Maggie Vespa has fallen at all and has the late details. This summer of severe weather, slamming communities from coast to coast. Whole tree just went down. She's done. From hail in New England to a torrential downpour in Minnesota that sent state fairgoers running and triple digit heat index values broiling tens of millions across the Midwest and now expanding east. In Philadelphia, close to 60 schools are closing early today and tomorrow with near 100-degree temps expected tomorrow. They're not fully equipped for the air conditioning and preparing for the children to come back. Chicago today feeling like a mind-blowing 115 degrees. That's crazy.

Isn't that crazy? Yes. Horrible. How does that hit you? It's terrible. Crowds retreating to Lake Michigan. We have availability starting today. And calling AC repair shops like Deljo Heating and Cooling in droves.

Our call volume is probably up 30% versus last week. Do you feel like the really hot stretches have become more common? Are you seeing more of them? Yes, I think they've become more common where we've had, like, weeks at a time where we're seeing 100-degree days. Ten years ago, we used to see them occasionally. Meanwhile, in Alaska, with the threat of a second landslide looming, the small town of Ketchikan mourns a husband and father killed Sunday,

clearing storm drains as the hillside came crashing down. Officials saying Sean Griffin is remembered for his dedication, positive spirit, and unwavering devotion to his family. A severe summer stretch touching families nationwide. All right, Maggie Vespa joins us live. Maggie, now that severe weather you were talking about earlier, it's moving east? Yeah, Tom, exactly. This dangerous heat is tracking east, as is the possibility for severe storms. 27 million Americans tomorrow will be at risk for possible damaging winds, even hail from Ohio up through the New Jersey coast. Tom. All right, be careful out there, Maggie. Thank you. And last night, we told you about the growing concern from the spread of those mosquito-borne viruses. And

tonight, New Hampshire now reporting that someone has died from one of those infections. Rahima Ellis reports on how cities are trying to keep people safe. As New York sprays for mosquitoes carrying dangerous viruses like eastern equine encephalitis, also called triple E, concern is spreading nationwide. Cases popping up in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and tonight, New Hampshire. New Hampshire health officials say one adult resident died of triple E after being hospitalized for severe nervous system disease. It's New Hampshire's first human case of the virus in a decade. The West Nile virus is a threat too. 33 states have reported 289 cases of West Nile. This is worrisome and discouraging. Epidemiologist and infectious

disease specialist Dr. Richard Ellison says triple E virus is especially troubling. We have 30 to 40 percent of the patients who get this and become sick with it will die from it. Is there any age group that's particularly vulnerable to these viruses? The very young and the very old are the ones who have the worst outcome. Officials nationwide are taking action, spraying, testing to identify mosquito breeding areas. I'm glad that they're doing something proactive about it. Safety precautions include wearing long sleeves and pants,

using insect repellent, and getting rid of standing water. Take extra care during dusk and dawn, officials say. That's when mosquitoes are most active. Rahima Ellis, NBC News, New York. In Atlanta tonight, officials are investigating a gruesome accident involving the tire of a Delta Airlines jet that left two maintenance workers dead and another injured. Priya Sridhar has this one. Tonight, two people are dead and one injured following an early morning accident involving an aircraft tire at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The three victims were

Delta employees working at the technical operations maintenance facility near the international terminal. A union representing airline industry workers issued a statement citing reports of a tire explosion as the cause of the accident and extending condolences to the victims. Atlanta's fire rescue department, which responded to the accident, say workers there described running away from an explosion. In a statement, Delta could not confirm the tire exploded, but did say the tire was being disassembled and was not attached to the aircraft at the time. Aircraft maintenance is one of the most dangerous jobs that there is.

John Golia is a former NTSB board member. The tire itself very often doesn't disintegrate. It's the rim that lets go. And those bolts that go around the rim, if they were to fail outward, it's like a projectile. It can be like a bullet coming off of those rims. The injured worker was taken to the hospital in stable condition. The FAA is in communication with Delta to determine what happened. Tom? All right, Priya, we thank you for that.

We want to turn overseas now to the rescue of that Israeli hostage in Gaza, one of the few to be brought home alive almost 11 months after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. Matt Bradley with more on the incredible rescue. Tonight, freedom for a hostage held captive in Gaza. After 326 days in captivity, hostage Qaed Farhan al-Qadi was rescued by Israeli commandos and safely returned home. A rare moment of celebration. Al-Qadi was rescued by Israeli commandos and safely returned home. A rare moment of celebration. al-Qadi is only the eighth hostage who's been rescued alive in a military operation.

Dozens more are thought to remain in captivity. al-Qadi rescued in what the IDF is calling a complex operation by special forces in southern Gaza, from inside Hamas's vast tunnel network, where soldiers say they found him alone. The 52-year-old father of 11 had been working in security at a kibbutz in southern Israel when he was captured on October 7. Al-Qadi is an Arab Bedouin, a mostly Muslim minority in Israel. At least 17 of them were killed during Hamas's terror attack in October. His family overwhelmed with joy and relief.

We prayed for him, his family overwhelmed with joy and relief. We prayed for him, his brother says. My mother prayed for him more. Her prayer reached the sky. Those still in captivity, hoping for al-Qaadi's kind of liberation. And Tom, American diplomats are meeting in Cairo this week, trying to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a deal to free those remaining hostages. Tom? Matt Bradley from Israel tonight. Matt, we thank you. We'll take a break. And in 60 seconds, the high price of a hugely popular weight loss drug is coming down, at least for some patients. We'll have the details right after this.

Welcome back. If you wanted to try one of those popular weight loss drugs, but the high cost has been holding you back, some potentially good news tonight, but it comes with some catches and without those auto-injector pens. Here's Stephanie Gosk. Zepbound is getting a price cut. Eli Lilly announcing it will now offer low dosage versions of the weight loss drug in vials with syringes instead of auto-injector pens, which cost more than $1,000 a month. Now, patients with a prescription who are not covered by insurance will be able to buy a month's supply of the 2.5 milligram dose for $399 and the 5 milligram dose for $549, directly from Eli Lilly. We've been frustrated. We can't meet the incredible demand for this medicine.

And this is a way we can do that more quickly. But also, we're trying to meet the needs of patients who don't have insurance coverage. But to be clear, this won't help people who are on higher doses of Zetbound. Well, if they have coverage in their insurance, there's no change for them. If they don't have coverage with their insurance, they could talk to their doctor about moving to the five milligram dose. Former police officer John Cattler is one of those patients paying $1,100 a month. That's a lot of money a month. How are you able to do it?

I'm putting it on credit cards, honestly. You're going into debt to take this medication? I am, yes. His doctor wants him on a higher dose starting next month. The new cheaper version won't help him. It's a step in the right direction, but I still have a lot of questions that if they can sell it for less, why don't they? Eli Lilly's announcement comes as compounding pharmacies are dispensing weight loss drugs they say are essentially a copy of ZepBound, a cheaper option for patients. State licensed facilities like this one on Long Island are able to legally produce

them because the FDA has ZepBound on a shortage list. Some health care providers are recommending those versions for their patients as long as they come from a trusted source, creating competition. Eli Lilly strongly opposes the practice. They're not inspected by the FDA. They're not improved by the FDA. In addition to that, you know, we invent the product. I mean, that's why there's a premium for the real thing made by Lilly. And Stephanie joins us now in studio.

So, Stephanie, how much more difficult is it for those patients to give them those shots with the vials? Well, there are other medications that use syringes like insulin and fertility drugs, but it's definitely a little bit more difficult. Patients have to actually draw the dose into a syringe. And for some people, that's kind of a daunting thing to have to do. All right. Thank you. Coming up, the good news about an orchestra that refused to be silenced

and brought their love of music to one of America's most hallowed stages. Stay with us. Finally, they come from a place where music has been banned. But after a daring escape, these young people are finding harmony in a whole new place. Here's Richard Engle. In the city of Braga, known as the Rome of Portugal, where tradition and history run deep, members of the Afghan Youth Orchestra are keeping their country's rich musical traditions alive. Because in Afghanistan now, this is a crime. Three years ago, as U.S. troops left Afghanistan, the Taliban seized power. It was like we were dead. You felt like you were dead? Yes, of course. For cousins Farida

and Zohra Ahmadi, it was a threat to their very existence. They were students at Afghanistan's National Institute of Music. Established in 2010 in Kabul, the school was a direct challenge to the Taliban's extremism. For years, the group tried to silence them, even dispatching a suicide bomber to a performance. So when the Taliban returned as rulers, the music stopped. The school's director, Dr. Ahmed Sarmast, orchestrated a miracle, a mass evacuation of students and staff. It's an opportunity for our students to dream once again. Today, the school and orchestra live on in Portugal,

and their sacrifices are being recognized, with an invitation to play Carnegie Hall. It was bittersweet for Zora. We were happy and sad at the same time. Sad for those left behind in Afghanistan, where music remains banned, and girls are not allowed more than a sixth grade education. The orchestra is fighting back with instruments. This August, they made it to New York City.

Welcome to Carnegie Hall. No one can silence us. Each concert is a protest. Each note is a protest. Bringing them one step closer, perhaps, to returning music and hope to their homeland. Richard Engel, NBC News. We thank Richard for that special story. That's nightly news for this Tuesday.

I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you for watching. For all of us here at NBC News, have a great night.