NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Episode Date: March 14, 2024

The House votes for a bill that could ban TikTok in the U.S., a major storm could be the worst to hit Colorado in years, the NTSB says security video of repairs work on the Alaska Airlines door plug before it blew off in mid-air was erased, and more in tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the House overwhelmingly voting for a bill that could ban TikTok over national security concerns. In a bipartisan vote, the House passing legislation that would bar TikTok, the video sharing app with 170 million users in the U.S., unless its China-based owner sells the platform. But will it pass the Senate? We're at the Capitol. Also tonight, the major winter storm. It could be the worst to hit the Denver area in years. We're tracking it. The news on Boeing, the NTSB saying security video of repair work on that door plug before it blew off in midair was erased. The judge in the Georgia election interference case dismissing some of the charges against Donald Trump.

Why were they thrown out? The U.S. deploying Marines to Haiti as the country spirals into violent chaos and the best-selling author airlifted out his harrowing escape, the new test for one of the deadliest forms of cancer. NBC News investigates an Oklahoma town divided. You are a leader in an Oklahoma chapter of a white nationalist organization. And I want to know if you have any explanation to that. The city official at the center of a firestorm and ringing in spring, the phone hotline that will lead you to the most beautiful sights of the season. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

Good evening and welcome. The end of TikTok as we know it in the United States may be closer tonight after the House of Representatives passed a bill that could impose a ban on the hugely popular video sharing app in the U.S. Concerns over TikTok's Chinese parent company and a potential national security risk carried the day in the House. The bill approved on a 352 to 65 vote, with one Democrat voting present. In all, 50 Democrats and 15 Republicans voted against the bill, which now heads to the Senate. TikTok, which denies its service as a spy tool, claims 7 million small businesses and 170 million American users.

And in a statement urges the Senate to consider the facts, listen to their constituents and realize the impact on the economy. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson applauding the vote in a statement saying it signals our resolve to deter our enemies. NBC's Savannah Sellers has details. The bill needed two-thirds of the House to pass, and it got that easily. The yeas are 352, the nays are 65. Now it goes to the Senate, where it will likely face a tougher road. If signed into law, it would give Chinese parent company ByteDance just six months to divest TikTok or face the possibility of a ban on the app. The legislation prompted by national security concerns, including fears the Chinese government could access Americans' personal data and feed them content that would influence their views.

Our intention is for TikTok to continue to operate, but not under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. 50 Democrats and 15 Republicans voted no. It's an overly broad bill that I don't think would withstand First Amendment scrutiny. It's opening Pandora's box, and I'm opposed to this bill. Aligning with former President Trump, who once tried to ban TikTok, but now says he's against that. TikTok fighting back hard, even flying creators to Washington. Hello, this is my son. Jason Linton shares his life as a dad with his 13 million followers.

What would it mean for you and your family if TikTok were to be banned in the U.S.? It would be devastating. Being able to just launch out a positive message would be completely stopped. Wish it was a bad dream, but it's not. JT Laybourne uses TikTok to promote his clothing company. Do you think this could impact how people vote? A hundred percent. There will be people that will not be reelected because of the way they choose to vote on this fan. TikTok says it has 170 million users in the U.S.

According to an NBC News poll, 22 percent of voters say they use the app once a day or more. The potential political fallout with those young voters, not lost on some senators. Cutting out a large group of young voters is not the best known strategy for re-election. Republican Mike Gallagher, one of the bill's sponsors, says that's not a good enough reason to ignore a looming national security threat. I don't think courting the clicks of 17-year-olds should take

precedence over allowing our foremost foreign adversary to dominate what is increasingly becoming the primary news source for Americans under the age of 30. TikTok says its CEO was on the hill today, but it's unclear if he met with lawmakers. The company maintains it is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government. This legislation, if signed into law, will lead to a ban of TikTok in the United States. Savannah, what's your thinking on how this bill might fare in the Senate? Its future is uncertain. Majority leader Chuck Schumer has been noncommittal about bringing it up for a vote. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee released a statement praising the bill and calling for Senate action.

President Biden has said that if it passes, he will sign it. Lester. Savannah Sellers at the Capitol tonight. Thank you. So just what is the potential threat to national security that many say TikTok poses? And how could your data potentially be used? Senior Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson reports. It's not the trends that worry top U.S. officials, but the threats they say TikTok poses, sounding the alarm about the popular app's Chinese-based ownership. TikTok presents serious national security risks to the people of the United States. Americans need to ask themselves whether they want to give the Chinese government

the ability to control access to their data. Like many apps, TikTok collects user information like IP addresses, approximate location, synced contacts, and more. The concern? Not only that China, the CCP, might be able to see all that info, but how they could use it, especially in an election year. You cannot rule out that the CCP could again use TikTok as a platform to influence 2020, 2024 elections, right? We cannot rule out that the CCP could use it. Correct. Now, fears the Chinese government could covertly spread mis and disinformation.

All of it part of a broader battle with one of the world's biggest economic powerhouses. I think this is one of the rungs on the way up the ladder of a Cold War type dispute between the United States and China. There's so many more opportunities for the Chinese to influence the American population. TikTok's already banned on government-owned devices in the U.S. and in countries like Canada and Australia. India banned the app altogether. TikTok has long insisted it works to protect personal info, pointing out new U.S. user data is stored on a U.S.-based cloud,

and it denies China's government controls the app. The bottom line is this. American data stored on American soil by an American company overseen by American personnel. In a letter to Congress, TikTok says it's invested more than one and a half billion dollars to address concerns and argues U.S. data could be less secure if the company is sold. Lester. Hallie, thank you. Also tonight, what could be the biggest snowstorm in years about to hit Denver and severe weather headed for parts of the Midwest? Bill Kerens joins us. He's tracking it all.

Lester, this crippling snowstorm will be all day tomorrow, but we're already starting out with some really strong thunderstorms. We have two severe thunderstorm watches, one for the St. Louis area, one in areas of central Kansas. And we may get another one shortly over the Kansas City area. These thunderstorms will be blossoming and going all night long. As far as the risk area goes, Kansas City to St. Joseph, you're in that enhanced risk. And then tomorrow, we have a chance of severe storms all the way from Dallas to just south of Chicago. So isolated tornadoes, too. As far as the snow goes, we've got about 6 to 5 million people that are in these watches and warnings. The hardest hit areas will be from Denver into the foothills.

Someone will get 3 to 4 feet of heavy, wet, crippling snow and power outages for the Denver area at least a foot with this big storm. All right, Bill, thank you. Tonight, the head of the NTSB says investigators are still missing critical information from Boeing about that MAX 9 door plug that blew out over Portland. Tom Costello covers aviation for us. Tom, the NTSB chief is clearly frustrated. She is. Jennifer Homendy says Boeing has still not provided important details that NTSB investigators need about why that door plug blew out and why four bolts that hold it in place were missing. In a letter to Congress, Homendy writes, to date, we still do not know who performed

the work to open, reinstall, and close the door plug on the accident aircraft. Boeing has informed us that they are unable to find the records documenting this work. Investigators asked for security footage from the factory floor back in the fall. However, she writes, they were informed the footage was overwritten. Boeing insists it has cooperated fully and it has security videos that are kept for just 30 days on average. Lester. All right, Tom Costello, thank you. Let's turn out of a deepening crisis in Haiti, the U.S. sending in a new contingent of Marines to guard the embassy and Americans making some harrowing escapes, including a bestselling author.

Gabe Gutierrez reports from neighboring Dominican Republic. Tonight, with Haiti in utter chaos, a new team of U.S. Marines has been sent to help protect the American embassy. This is what hell on earth sounds like. A nighttime gun battle in Port-au-Prince, captured on a terrified bystander's cell phone. Another woman, Haitian-American Cheriba Humer, says an armed gang kicked her out of her home and threatened to kill her if she went back.

We are so frightened for our lives. We can never go back home. She's now desperately trying to escape and meet up with her family in Miami. But the border and the airports are shut down. Also suddenly trapped, best-selling author Mitch Albom, visiting an orphanage as charity runs in Haiti. You can't go anywhere, you know, you can't get out. That's how Haitians live every single day.

Then a harrowing escape, a stealth private helicopter mission rescued Albom and orphanage staffers. You know, the fear is that the gangs are going to shoot at the helicopters. They've done that, and we're all on top of one another, not in seats, just a big ball of humanity. And the door closed, and within 60 seconds, we were up in the air in the dark and flying. Haiti's prime minister just said he'd step down as soon as a new interim government took over. But a notorious gang leader known as Barbecue is calling for civil war.

Here in the neighboring Dominican Republic, the government is stopping desperate Haitians from coming. And in Florida, the governor is already deploying extra law enforcement and drones in anticipation of a possible migrant influx from Haiti. Lester. Gabe Gutierrez, thank you. And back home now, it is official. The Biden-Trump rematch is set after both candidates clinched their nominations Tuesday. And Mr. Trump today getting some good legal news in Georgia. Peter Alexander has late details. Tonight, the showdown is set.

The rematch polls say most Americans were hoping wouldn't happen between President Biden and former President Trump. Late today, the president here in Battleground, Wisconsin. My predecessor, who failed the most basic duty any president owes the American people, the duty to care. The latest polls show the race in Wisconsin is tight. How many bagels are you guys making a day? On the weekdays, we're doing 800, 900.

At Alley Boys Bagelry in Milwaukee, owners Ben Nierenhausen and Stacy Lopez tell us their costs are rising, but they've resisted raising prices. We're playing with what consumers are willing to pay versus what we have to pay. These Democrats are anxious about the economy, but it's social issues like abortion rights solidifying their support for the president. We're almost turning the clock backwards is very frightening. Overnight, Mr. Trump taking aim at the president. There're almost turning the clock backwards is very frightening. Overnight, Mr. Trump taking aim at the president. There's never been anybody worse at doing that job than Joe Biden. Matt Leppard owns an auto repair shop in Waukesha County, telling us more customers are

coming in because it's cheaper to fix an older car than to buy a new one. These guys should be buying a new car, but these days you can't afford it. You got a family, you got a house mortgage. He supports Mr. Trump saying America is worse off than it was four years ago. I want my economy back. I want our national security back. I want our tax money to stay here. Meanwhile, a Georgia judge today dismissed six charges in the election interference case involving Mr. Trump, saying they were too vague, including a charge related to this phone call where the former president pressured Georgia's Secretary of State. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more that we have. The judge

left the door open for prosecutors to refile those charges. Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty. President Biden heads to campaign events in Michigan tomorrow, while former President Trump will be in a Florida courtroom in his classified documents case. Lester. Peter Alexander, thank you. In 60 seconds, screening for colon cancer, the new blood test that could be a game changer right after this.

We're back with a new way to test for colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths among American adults. Anne Thompson is here with more on a promising study. It really is, Lester. Colon cancer can be treatable if it's caught early, but more than 40 percent of adults 45 and older don't follow screening guidelines, often deterred by colonoscopies or at-home stool tests. Now, a large new study in the New England Journal of Medicine reports a blood test was able to detect 83 percent of colorectal tumors. While colonoscopy is still the most accurate screening, this new test is designed for people with average risk of colon cancer and no family history. The test is already available, but since it's not approved by the FDA yet, it is not covered by insurance and costs about $900. The test maker, Garden Health, tells us the FDA will be approving or will be considering approving the test later

this year. You'll be following it, Anne. Thanks very much. Coming up, the town that put a man who ran a white nationalist group on the city council. Now some are now trying to vote him out. Our investigation is next. Now to our NBC News investigation. Enid is a small community in Oklahoma, but tonight it's a town divided over its identity, reputation and an official who once led a local chapter in Enid, Oklahoma. The location is secret. Somebody minds the door for security. A small group determined to change their city. Everybody in this room played a role. Among those here are 69-year-old Connie Vickers.

I was born and raised here in Enid. And 74-year-old Nancy Presnell. I've lived here most of my life. They're best friends and Democrats, rare in the deeply conservative county. Both retired, but hard at work. How many doors did you knock on? I don't know. It was a lot.

Enough to get the signatures needed for a recall election of City Commissioner Judd Blevins. This is Judd Blevins. This is Judd Blevins in 2017, tiki torch in hand in Charlottesville, Virginia, marching alongside avowed white supremacists and neo-Nazis. I saw the picture of Judd Blevins with the tiki torch and I was like just shocked. The more they looked, the more they found. Blevins had been an active leader in the white nationalist group Identity Europa. According to an analysis of photos, biographical details, and other information, Blevins hid his white nationalist identity behind the online moniker Conway. In private online forums reviewed by NBC News, Blevins, as Conway, posted racist messages

and praised Hitler. And yet, when the former Marine ran for city commissioner last year as a conservative Republican, he won by 36 votes. Now, Presnell and Vickers are part of the Enid Social Justice Committee, vocal opponents of Blevins since he took office, the group mincing no words on its website, saying Enid has a Nazi problem. A lot of people don't want to say the word Nazi, but when you see what he did and what he's involved with, you know, it's not name-calling, it's what he is and what he believes. We wanted to ask Blevins what he believes for ourselves, but he denied our multiple requests for interviews. We tried once more outside a city council meeting.

Can I ask, you are a leader in an Oklahoma chapter of a white nationalist organization, and I want to know if you have any explanation to that. Why did you march and unite the right? Why did you hold a tiki torch and march as people said Jews will not replace us? I've been a conservative all my life. Cindy Allen was editor and publisher of the Enid News & Eagle when Blevins won. Her paper had published a front-page story about his past prior to the election. Blevins called it a hit piece.

We followed up many times, and he never would answer us. And yet he won. He won. There's an opportunity now to address what kind of tolerance of extremism this community is going to have. Enid's mayor, David Mason, also a conservative Republican, says behind closed doors, Blevins admitted to his involvement in white nationalist activities. And my follow-up question was, are you still involved with those groups? And he told me I do not have to answer that question.

And my thought was, you just did. Blevins' opponent in the recall election, set for April 2nd, is a Republican, too. She didn't want to talk about the race with us, a race that most here see as squarely about Blevins. If we vote him in a second time, it probably says a lot about who we are. That identity is exactly what Vickers and Presnell are working for. National white supremacist organizations have called you two outrageous Antifa commandos.

Badge of honor. What happens if you don't win? We keep putting up a fight. We're not going to put up with it quietly. Fighting, they say, for the soul of their city. Brandi Zadrozny,

NBC News, Enid, Oklahoma. We'll take a break, but there's more ahead next. A call back to a simpler time, the hotline to spring, where to find the best wildflowers. Finally, the most beautiful sights of spring are just a phone call away. Here's Liz Kreutz. As spring emerges all around Southern California, the hills are alive with the sound of... Displays of San Verbena, dune evening primrose.

That's actor Joe Spano, seen on NCIS and in Apollo 13. Welcome. And heard on one of California's most quirky traditions, the Wildflower Hotline. What is it that gives you so much joy about being part of this hotline every year? There's no downside to beautiful flowers coming out of the ground. The weekly telephone hotline started 41 years ago by the Theodore Payne Foundation, a way for the group's botanists to let fellow flower enthusiasts find the best spring blooms. Pick up the phone and call. Yeah, just pick up the phone and call. I mean,

there's something, you know, charming about it, right? Now getting to some of the most popular spots like here in the Anza Borrego Desert does require a drive. But for all these colors, folks say it's worth it. And this is just the start of the season. Experts say just wait. This year's rain could lead to another super bloom like recent years in the Carrizo Plain and Antelope Valley. Imagine someone taking a paintbrush and just flinging paint across the hills. I'm glad we did this. That vision is what brought Shandini Sharma all the way from Oklahoma, showing it off to her friend in India. It's just so beautiful and so colorful.

So colorful. I dreamt of it all night. A simple yet extraordinary pleasure preserved by painters, You turn the other way, photographers, and a voice sharing this natural wonder with the world. We have the right conditions for an excellent wildflower viewing season. Liz Kreutz, NBC News, Los Angeles. That's gorgeous. That's nightly news for this Wednesday. Thanks for watching. I'm Lester Hull. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.