NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Episode Date: April 18, 2024

Senate dismisses impeachment charges against Mayorkas; Columbia University president testifies about antisemitism on campus; Boeing whistleblowers appear at congressional hearing; and more on tonight���s broadcast.

Tonight, the Senate swiftly voting to dismiss impeachment articles brought by Republicans against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas over his handling of the border. The Senator is sworn in as jurors for the first trial of a sitting cabinet member in U.S. history. But it didn't last long. The Democrats in the majority voting to dismiss the articles against Mayorkas, calling them unconstitutional. Republicans' outrage of full trial wasn't held. Our team at the Capitol.

Also tonight, Speaker Mike Johnson setting up a showdown with fellow Republicans over foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel. Will he have to work with Democrats to pass it? And could it cost him his job? More severe storms in the Midwest, damage near Detroit on the heels of a dangerous tornado outbreak. Our team's on the ground. Sources telling NBC News the Justice Department is negotiating a massive settlement with gymnasts who survived Larry Nassar's abuse. Said to be near $100 million.

The NBA issuing a lifetime ban to Toronto Raptors player Jonte Porter for gambling suspicious bets that tip the league off. My report of the major shortage on the streets of police officers. I asked the LAPD chief, is it keeping officers from responding to crime in time? And let the countdown begin. The 2024 Paris Olympics just 100 days away. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. The House Republican led impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border crisis had barely left the station before being stopped in its tracks today by the Senate's

Democratic majority, who quickly dismissed the charges that Mayorkas had willfully ignored immigration laws. The not unexpected outcome, a trial averted, still left both sides expressing outrage. The impeachment showdown, however, nearly overshadowed by the drama building tonight in the House over Speaker Mike Johnson's tenuous hold on power. Johnson tonight risking removal by fellow Republicans as he advances a controversial plan to provide funding to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Watching it all for us from the Capitol tonight,ent Ryan Nobles. Tonight, an impeachment showdown in the Senate with Democrats essentially dismissing charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a matter of hours. Arguing the impeachment by House Republicans was unconstitutional. To validate this gross abuse by the House would be a grave mistake and could set a dangerous precedent

for the future. But Republicans blasting the move to not hold a trial, arguing Democrats are defying hundreds of years of Senate precedent. This process must not be abused. It must not be short-circuited. History will not judge this moment well. House Republicans accused Mayorkas of willfully ignoring immigration laws with a record 9.3 million migrants crossing into the U.S. during the Biden administration. Mayorkas calls the accusations baseless. Democrats say there's no impeachable offense. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson facing off with his own party tonight, releasing his plan for aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in three separate packages.

Combined, the proposal would provide $95 billion in funding and is very similar to the already passed Senate bill that bundled the plans together. Though in Johnson's proposal, $9.5 billion of Ukraine aid is through loans, not grants, a demand of former President Trump. But bringing Ukraine aid to the floor means Johnson is putting his job in danger. House conservatives railed against the plan. I don't think we should be throwing $95 billion overseas when we have wide open borders and American people are being endangered.

Tonight, Johnson arguing the stakes around the world are too high. I'm doing here what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important. So, Ryan, when will the House vote on these aid bills? Lester, Speaker Johnson has said that lawmakers will get 72 hours to read the legislation, meaning the earliest they could vote on it is Saturday. It will likely require Democratic votes in order to pass. And then the focus will shift to whether or not any Republicans will move to boot Johnson from his job. Lesser. All right, Ryan Nobles, thank you. Tens of millions are under severe storm threats once again tonight,

and there is late word of damage in Michigan and Ohio. Here's Maggie Vespa. Yeah, Lester, Count Ferndale, Michigan is one of the latest American cities to be damaged by severe spring weather. This is a restaurant and then a tire shop behind me. You can see just huge chunks of roofing were ripped off and then tossed onto cars here in the parking lot. Wind speeds here topped an estimated 70 miles per hour down in trees and power lines. And we saw a similar story in Bucyrus, Ohio, a city about an hour north of Columbus. Their entire chunks of brick buildings were ripped off and windows were broken. This is the latest chapter, as we know, in a really violent week with more than two dozen tornadoes reported across five states.

Thankfully, at this point, no reports of any major injuries. Lester. Maggie Vespa, thanks. A huge settlement appears to be taking shape tonight involving the Justice Department and the victims of Dr. Larry Nassar over the FBI's failure to act on reports of abuse of star athletes by Nassar. Here's Anne Thompson. How much is a little girl worth? A potential answer tonight to Simone Biles' question at a Senate hearing on the FBI's failure to take seriously gymnast complaints of sexual abuse by Dr. Larry Nassar. To sources familiar with the negotiations tell NBC News, the Justice Department is far along in settlement talks with Nassar's victims. The final amount, the sources say, is likely to be close to $100

million, an amount first reported by the Wall Street Journal. In 2021, Biles and her fellow gymnasts described how the bureau ignored them. The agent diminished the significance of my abuse. It made me feel my criminal case wasn't worth pursuing. Michaela Maroney says she told the FBI of her abuse before she told her mom. They allowed a child molester to go free for more than a year and this inaction directly allowed Nassar's abuse to continue. By one estimate, Nassar abused at least 70 more gymnasts after the FBI was first told. The Justice Department inspector general in a scathing report found multiple failures and policy violations by the Indianapolis field office, which first handled the Nassar allegations. Nassar is serving what amounts to a life sentence in

prison, while his victims now may be near some kind of justice. Ann Thompson, NBC News. In Congress today, top officials from Columbia University were questioned about their handling of recent incidents of anti-Semitism as demonstrations took place on campus. Here's Garrett Haik. New York's Columbia University tonight, again a flashpoint in the rise in anti-Semitism on college campuses. As pro-Palestinian protests continue across the country and Jewish students report being targeted or feeling unsafe. I feel a tremendous amount of hostility towards me. Columbia's leadership testifying before a House committee today, investigating its response to recent incidents of anti-Semitism.

President Manoush Shafiq says that's included curtailing access to campus and stiffening penalties for unapproved protests. Anti-Semitism has no place on our campus, and I am personally committed to doing everything I can to confront it directly. Administrators pressed to respond to some of the most appalling examples of anti-Semitism. Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Columbia's code of conduct? Mr. Greenwald? Yes, it does. Ms. Shipman? Yes, it does. Dr. Shafiq? Yes, it does. Columbia's leaders clearly prepared after the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard's presidents stumbled over the same line of questioning last year, ultimately resigning their posts. That calling

for the genocide of Jews violates Harvard Code of Conduct, correct? Again, it depends on the context. It does not depend on the context. The answer is yes, and this is why you should resign. Some questioning focused on work and commentary of certain faculty members. Support of terrorism is acceptable if you're a Columbia professor? Not at all. Some Democrats criticized the Republican-led committee, noting they've now held three hearings on anti-Semitism and none on bills to combat the problem. Lester? All right, Garrett Haig, thank you. Also on Capitol Hill, the whistleblowers who claim Boeing's safety culture is broken. It comes after one of them spoke out on this broadcast last night.

Here's Tom Costello with more. Today, two hearings with Boeing in the crosshairs. Boeing is in a moment of reckoning. As a former FAA engineer, a former Boeing engineer, and a current engineer all told senators Boeing is putting production and profits ahead of safety. Effectively, they are putting out defective airplanes. Engineer Sam Salapur, who told us Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has a potentially fatal flaw. Would you put your family on a 787 right now? Right now, I would not. Today, telling senators he warned Boeing the 787's fuselage could break apart.

I raised concerns internally. I was sidelined. I was told to shut up. But Boeing is pushing back hard, insisting it does not tolerate retaliation. And after more than 4.2 million flights, 13 years of service, and extensive stress testing, it has zero evidence of airframe fatigue. Today, the CEO of United Airlines with 70 Dreamliners said he's not concerned. I am totally confident the 787 is a safe airplane. In the hearing room, relatives of the 346 people who died in two MAX 8 crashes overseas demanding change at Boeing. There was no accountability. Not a single person from Boeing went to jail. Also today, a panel of outside experts commissioned by the Senate reporting back on Boeing's culture. They hear safety is our number

one priority, but what they see is that that's only true as long as your production milestones are met. Boeing's culture and safety management needs drastic improvement. Boeing says it will act on the panel's findings, but it insists safety already comes first. Lester. All right. Tom Costello tonight. Jury selection in former President Trump's hush money trial resumes tomorrow after a break today. Meantime, President Biden has been in a key swing state calling for new restrictions on China. Gabe Gutierrez is in Pittsburgh with the latest.

Courting union members in Battleground, Pennsylvania. Tonight, President Biden is calling for the tripling of tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum. I'm not looking for a fight with China. I'm looking for competition, but fair competition. The administration accuses China of overproducing goods and flooding the U.S. market, hurting the American economy. China denies it. President Biden has kept most of the tariffs on China that the Trump White House first imposed. Former President Trump has pledged even higher tariffs if he wins. My predecessor and the MAGA Republicans want across the board tariffs on all

imports from all countries that could badly hurt American consumers. The president is focusing on economic issues during a three-day trip through a crucial swing state while his opponent is tied up in court. A new poll shows 64 percent of Americans approve of how Mr. Trump handled the economy, while 63 percent disapprove of President Biden on the issue. Joe Padovan, a retired steel worker, blames corporate greed, not President Biden, for inflation. I really do believe that the Constitution is going to take a step backwards if Mr. Trump gets in. He supports the president's push for more tariffs on China. What we need to do is be building in America. Why pay the tariff if you can tariffs on China. What we need to do is be

building in America. Well, I paid a tariff if you can build it here. But in Scranton, Trump supporter John Basilega is building a new restaurant and he's slamming President Biden for rising costs. He says his policies are better for middle America or anybody. Just walk around and ask the real people. They'll tell you the exact opposite. With jury selection and former President Trump's trial set to resume tomorrow, the Biden campaign is heading to Philadelphia, trying to create a split screen moment. All right, Gabe, thank you. In 60 seconds, the betting scandal rocking the sports world.

An NBA player just banned for allegedly betting on games and claiming illness to influence a bet. We're back now with a scandal rocking the NBA. The league issuing a rare lifetime ban for the Toronto Raptors' Jontae Porter, accusing him of gambling violations. With more on that, here's Sam Brock. Tonight, the NBA is doling out a lifetime ban to Raptors forward Jonte Porter Jr. after a league investigation uncovered blatant violations of our gaming rules. Porter is accused of manipulating his own performance and tipping off betters, which Commissioner Adam Silver commented on days ago. It's cardinal sin, you know, that what he's accused of in the NBA. Porter is the first active player or coach expelled from the league for gambling

in 70 years. Adam Silver had no choice but to drop the hammer today. According to a league investigation, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games, netting about $22,000, shared confidential information about his own health status to a known NBA better, and limited his own game participation to influence the outcome of bets tied to his performance. He then gets into a game against the Sacramento Kings and within three minutes takes himself out saying that he's sick. He only played three minutes. He didn't take shots. He didn't get rebounds. So he underperforms. They win the bet. NBC News was unable to reach Porter for comment. The rush of attention around professional sports

leagues and gambling has coincided with those same leagues going into business with the gambling companies. How are we going to integrate gambling into professional sports while simultaneously making sure that the players aren't gambling? It's the most important thing. What he did speaks to the heart of why this is such a bad idea to have leagues partner with gambling companies. A new terrain that leagues like the NBA must now navigate. Sam Brock, NBC News. Up next, as we continue here tonight, the growing nationwide shortage of police officers. My interview with the LAPD's top cop on the crisis and what can be done. Here in Los Angeles, police and residents are

feeling the strain from a chronic shortage of police officers. I spoke with the LAPD's interim chief about how he's addressing the crisis. The LAPD has long been considered one of the most understaffed major city police departments in America, making the current staffing crisis all the more troubling for the top brass. Chief, is it fair to say you are severely understaffed? Absolutely. Recruitment now a critical issue for interim police chief Dominic Choi. Among the three largest cities, Chicago and New York have about twice as many cops per capita, while Los Angeles is far more vast. I think if we had about 12,000, we would be well-staffed.

And as of last Monday, we're at 8,832. That's the lowest staffing level at the LAPD in more than two decades. And it's having a direct impact on the department's ability to police. Has the shortage of police officers simply made it harder to respond to certain types of calls? I think it's made it more difficult to respond to all types of calls. Where we're seeing some slippage is our non-emergency calls. We've seen that number go from an average response time of about 20 minutes upwards to 40 minutes up to an hour. Calls like this one where a group of mass suspects use power tools to cut through the security door and safe

at the Siete Mares restaurant in Boyle Heights with the suspects taking off. Everybody was on edge. With no arrests made, Tanya Diaz and her family, who've owned this restaurant for decades, say the neighborhood feels less safe. There's not as many cops out in the streets anymore, so we got hit and then a couple weeks later another restaurant got hit. While violent crime trended down in 2023, property crimes were up, a revolving door of repeat offenders taking a toll on morale. I understand the frustration that an officer works so hard to put somebody in jail because of criminal behavior, and then that person is walking out the door before they can finish

their reports. That is frustrating. It's demoralizing. Law enforcement agencies nationwide are feeling the crunch with unprecedented declines in police staffing since 2019. In a recent report, the Department of Justice calling it a historic crisis, saying departments are losing officers faster than they can hire new ones, citing labor market competition, officer safety and well-being, and increased tensions between police and the communities they serve. It affects the ability of the agency to even respond to relatively low-level concerns, but that are high quality of life concerns for the communities. To entice new recruits, the LAPD recently negotiated pay increases. New full-time officers can now make nearly six figures, about the same starting

salary for a computer engineer graduating from the University of California system. Not everybody thinks a lot of police officers are a good thing. There are those voices out there that say this money could be used in a more efficient way. What's your response to that? I'm an absolute supporter of alternative response. So there are certain calls that I believe that police don't need to respond to. To the people that think less cops are OK, I have to disagree. At the end of the day, you have to have a safe community. Part of my conversation with the interim police chief here in L.A. Up next, beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower.

We go to Paris with the Olympics just 100 days away. Finally, just 100 days until the 2024 Paris Olympics. Our Keir Simmons now with a glimpse at the amazing venues at the city's most famous sites. There's an air of anxious excitement in Paris tonight, 100 days before its first Olympics in 100 years. Venues now visible from the Eiffel Tower, the Seine still set to host the opening ceremony and triathlon, as officials allay fears over security and pollution. Will the river be ready? There's a little bit of concern. For every big event, you have to think about contingency plans.

I think that's part of our work. Construction is underway at the stunning beach volleyball venue. Just a month ago, this wasn't even here. By late June, they'll be seating for 13,000 people underneath the Eiffel Tower. While in the historic Place de la Concorde, they're now building the venue for modern sports like breakdancing and skateboarding. Team USA skateboarder Jagger Eaton hopes to be there. I'm just ready to be there in the jersey competing. That's what I'm most excited about. Equestrian athletes will go for gold while riding past golden horses at the Chateau de Versailles. The Olympic flame now en route, a massive police operation underway

and 45,000 volunteers chosen. I found out there was 165,000 applicants and I was picked out of that. And I'm so excited. Paris has never seen anything like it. And in 100 days, we'll all get to share the celebration. Keir Simmons, NBC News, Paris. 100 days will go quickly. That is nightly news for this Wednesday. Thank you for watching, everyone.

I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.