Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, January 23, 2023

Episode Date: January 24, 2023

11 people killed after a gunman went on a violent rampage inside of a dance hall in Monterey Park, California, two students killed in a shooting at a charter school in Des Moines, Iowa, outrage growing after the death of Tyre Nichols — a Black man whose family says he was beaten by police following a traffic stop, the FBI finds six more classified documents after searching President Biden's Delaware home and the founder of the failed Fyre Festival is back after four years in prison and promoting a new project.

Tonight, courage under fire, the incredible story of heroism emerging from the Lunar New Year massacre in California. Eleven people killed after a gunman went on a violent rampage inside of a dance hall. The shooter then entering a second location miles away. Video tonight obtained by NBC News showing the moment a man wrestled the gun out of his hands. That hero speaking to our Lester Holt, the moment he says he realized he had to step in. Plus the new details coming in about the victims tonight. Also breaking more senseless violence in America. The deadly shooting in Des Moines, Iowa.

Two students killed today at a charter school. The late details coming in at this hour. Outrage growing after the death of Tyree Nichols, a black man whose family says was beaten by police following a traffic stop. All five officers involved now fired. The family watching the body cam footage for the first time just hours ago. Their lawyer, Ben Crump, joins top street. story tonight. He tells me the video reminds him of the Rodney King beating and how soon it could

be made public. Document disaster, the FBI finding six more classified documents after searching President Biden's Delaware home. Could his beach house or other offices be next? Plus, Galang Maxwell, speaking out from behind bars, what the former friend of convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, is saying about this photo that appears to show her with one of Epstein's accusers and Prince Andrew. Trapped on the track. police racing to rescue a man stuck in his car, how officers got him out moments before a train came barreling through. And the founder of the infamous fire festival is back after spending four years in prison. His new idea, a scavenger hunt on a remote island. So will he be able to

rise from the ashes or keep his reputation as possibly the world's worst travel agent? Top story starts right now. And good evening. It's been a deadly 48 hours in America. Eleven people killed in Monterey Park, California, as bullets rang out during a lunar New Year festivity Saturday night. And late today, yet another shooting reported this time in Des Moines. Two students killed. We'll have more on that in a moment, but we begin first in California and the holiday celebration that turned into a nightmare. A lone gunman entering the star ballroom dance hall just after 10 p.m., opening fire on the crowd inside. Survivors recounting

hiding under tables, doing whatever they could to escape the bullets. Ten people killed at the scene, another pronounced dead at the hospital just moments ago. And the gunman fleeing, then attempting a repeat of that carnage at a second dance hall. But as this surveillance video shows, a bystander wrestling the gun out of his hands, then fighting him off as he attempts to grab it back. You will hear directly tonight from that man being hailed a hero and see more of this video. His interview with NBC's Lester Holt is straight ahead. SWAT teams then tracking down the shooter hours later inside of this white fan.

The gunman, a 72-year-old Asian man, found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside. Police tonight say evidence suggests his motive was personal rather than terror or hate crime-related. And we are learning more at this hour about the victims, all of them. Over the age of 50, including 65-year-old, may not. Remember tonight as a loving aunt, sister, daughter, and friend. NBC Nightly News anchor, Lester Holt is on the ground. in Monterey Park tonight and leads us off. Tonight, the search for answers.

Another American community reeling after a night of celebration was shattered by a hail of bullets. The first emergency calls flooding in at 10.22 p.m. Saturday. Additional units requested multiple victims, gunshot wounds. A gunman opening fire at the Star Ballroom and Dance Studio in Monterey Park. When officers arrived on scene, they observed numerous individuals pouring out of the location. screaming. You have 10 unresponsive inside. Tonight, at least 11 people are dead and nine injured. And now we're hearing stunning survival stories from inside. Sally was there with her dance

partner of 15 years. We are so happy. Everything happy at the start, start ball. Lots of people dancing? Not like 50 people. Then the shots rang out and they both jumped under a table. She told us her partner was shot in the back and killed. When did you realize that your partner had been hit? Really until I have a breath on my hand. And it wasn't yours. It's not your. I was so scary.

I thought I got salt. She says he died shielding her from the bullets, saving her life. He was trying to cover you. Yeah, he tried to call us. We are so scaring. And more harrowing accounts just two miles away inside the Lele Ballroom and studio in Alhambra. That's where the suspect showed up 20. 40 minutes after his deadly rampage.

Today I spoke with Brandon Say, seen on this surveillance video, bravely taking on the gunman, disarming him before he could unleash more terror. How did you decide what to do? Well, there was a moment I actually froze up because I was, I had the belief that I was going to die. Like, my life was ending here at that very moment. But something amazing happened in America, actually. He started to try to prep his weapons so he could shoot everybody. But then it dawned on me that this was the moment to disarm him.

I could do something here that could protect everybody. In one shove, I kind of just pushed him away, and then quickly aimed the gun at him and shouted, Go away, I'm a shoot. Get out here, go. Are you pointing the gun on him as your son? Yes, I was. Police are hailing Brandon as a hero.

Did he say anything during this encounter? No, his facial expressions and eyes did most of the talking. What did those eyes tell you? They told me he wanted to do harm, like he was troubled individual trying to do harm to others, make people feel the pain he was failing. The gunman fled the scene. Then, after an hour's long manhunt, police locating this white van. at 12.52 p.m., a SWAT team broke the van's windows, finding the suspect, 72-year-old

who can't Tran, with a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound. A handgun was found inside, while a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine was recovered from that second dance hall. And the suspect's motive still a mystery. The mayor saying he may have frequented one of the dance studios. The problem is, we may never know the why. Tonight, few answers for those grieving in Monterey Park, a center of Southern California's Chinese community. And now we're learning more about the 11 people whose lives were stolen, all in their 50s, 60s and 70s, including 65-year-old May Nan. Her family writing, she spent so many years going to the dance studio. It's what she loved to do.

But unfairly, Saturday was her last dance. Her warm smile and kindness was contagious. My, my, was our biggest cheerleader. And this incident only going to get worse as people hear more about the victims and the lives they led. Lester Holt joins Top Story tonight live from Monterey Park, California. Lester, that interview was pretty incredible with the hero there. I understand that he rewatched the surveillance video that NBC News has obtained, which shows his heroic acts.

What did he tell you about watching that video for a second time? because he describes sort of what compelled him as a miracle. I think it brought home the terror of that moment to see it, what he knew he had experienced, but sometimes after the fact your memories became jumbled, it is possible. A thousand things could be going through your mind, but he realized that there was an opportunity

when for some reason that gun didn't fire. He has since, and he had his family talked about maybe the gun misfired or maybe a round was not proper in the chamber. He says he, the man tried to reload, and that's when he felt he had his moment and moved in. Keep in mind, he's 26 years old. The shooter is 72, but apparently put up a good fight. He wanted that gun back, and they wrestled for it, and you see on that video, they wrestled for it. The hero says that he tried to make sure the muzzle was pointing downward, so no one would get hit, but it was a struggle.

And even after he got it, as you see, the shooter did not want to leave, did not want to give up, only after he was threatened and told leave, did he finally leave? And, Lester, I found it interesting reading the transcript of your interview with Brandon because a lot of people may be watching this video thinking, why didn't he pull the trigger? He says that he wasn't experienced with firearms, but he also told you he wasn't aware there was another shooting, correct? He wasn't aware. He says it was sometime later in talking to police that he found out that there was this

other shooting, which of course shocked him. And I think reinforced the horror and reality of what he had been through, not only confronting a gunman, but someone who had taken many, many lives just a few minutes earlier. And, Lester, I mean, you could get a sense from just your interview with Brandon that this is definitely something that was completely foreign to him. I mean, you can just tell that that to have this type of bravery and to take down the gunman like that was different. How is he doing today? He says he's doing fine. He hasn't had a lot of sleep. He says when he tries to sleep, he reimagines what it would have gone on there. But he, I think, I told him,

saying you've been traumatized. And I think most people would agree what he's been through as a traumatic experience. He did what he had to do. There were only a handful of people in that club. It was pretty much closing time. He said there were maybe three or four people in the club at the time. But nonetheless, he somehow realized when he saw the gun and the man's eyes that he was not there to shoot one person, but to shoot everybody. Yeah, amazing. And he saved all of their lives, regardless of how many people were in that room. Okay, Lester Holt and his team with some tremendous reporting on the ground there from Monterey Park. Lester, we thank you.

We do, unfortunately, now have to turn to another deadly shooting that we mentioned at the top of this broadcast. It happened today. Two students killed at a charter school in Des Moines, Iowa, a third victim and adult school employee hospitalized and in serious condition. Police officers saying they have three potential suspects in custody. NBC News is Maggie Vespa joins us now live

with more on this developing story. Maggie, it's just you feel bad just bringing this story to our viewers after. We just heard what happened in California, but it's just another act of senseless violence. What do you know about this one? Yeah, so this one police or Tom calling it targeted. That was a word they used several times, meaning they say it wasn't random. They got the call around 1 p.m. Central.

Again, this is a Des Moines, Iowa Charter High School. They say for at-risk students. The name of it is starts right here. An officer showed up, and again, they found three victims, three gunshot victims. Two of them students. They started CPR on those students, but were told they later died at the hospital. Again, that third victim, Tom, a staff member, listed in serious condition, so we're still waiting on the latest on how they're doing again at the hospital in Des Moines. And Maggie, you mentioned at-risk youth at that charter school, and we've seen some early reporting.

There are multiple suspects in custody? Yeah, there are three, according to police. And police aren't naming them at this time. Investigators also not naming the victims. We don't have any names in this case. We're waiting on those still. But police told us they arrested those three about two miles from the school after. After officers got a tip about a car that was seen at the school or near the school at the time of the shooting, they quickly tracked that down.

There were three people inside. They say one of those people ran, and officers used a canine to track that person down. So again, a lot of questions, a lot of details that were still waiting on in this case. But one thing was clear. Police telling reporters, when it comes to these charges, again, with two students dead, they are pursuing, in their words, the most serious charges of murder. Tom. Okay. Maggie Vespa for us on that breaking story.

Thank you. We turn to a disturbing story out of Memphis, the family of Tyrene Nichols watching body camp footage of his arrest for the first time, describing what began as a traffic stop for reckless driving as a horrific and heinous assault that led to his death. The officers involved have been fired, but the family continues to demand justice. Priscilla Thompson has the details. Tonight, a grieving family outraged. The parents of Tyrene Nichols speaking out today, moments after watching police body camera video of a violent traffic stop earlier this month that resulted in their son's death. The 29-year-old's mother vowing action. We're going to get justice for my son, Tyree, if that's the last breath I take.

The footage not yet released to the public shows a traffic stop on January 7th. Police said officers attempted to pull Nichols over for reckless driving, but he fled the scene on foot and was eventually taken into custody after two. confrontations with police. What I saw on the video today was horrific. The family and their attorneys unable to speak in detail about the video due to the investigation, but giving a disturbing account of what they saw. It reminded us of Rodney King video.

Police said Nichols complained of shortness of breath during the arrest. The Memphis Police Chief called the actions of the five officers involved egregious. An internal investigation found they violated multiple department policies, including excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid. All five officers have been fired. Nichols was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. The Nichols family released this photo of him in the hospital, saying he was so badly beaten they could hardly recognize him.

The official cause of death still unknown. He was defenseless the entire time. He was a human piñata for those police officers. It was an unadulterated, unabashed, nonstop beating of this young boy for three minutes. Oh, my God. The Shelby County District's Attorney's Office says they'll release the body cam video publicly once their investigation is complete. The Justice Department and the FBI have also launched their own investigations.

He was two minutes from the house when they stopped him. He was less than 80 yards away when they murdered him. Yes, I said murdered. Because when I walked into that hospital room, my son was already dead. All right, Priscilla Thompson joins us now live. You can't imagine what was on that body cam footage from the descriptions we've heard there in your report. And, Priscilla, I understand tonight you have some new reporting about other first responders who were on the scene. That's right, Tom. In addition to the five Memphis police officers who were fired, there were two Memphis Fire Department employees who have been relieved of duty, a spokesperson telling NBC News in a statement, quote,

last week, two MFD personnel involved in the initial patient care of Tyree Nichols were relieved of duty while an internal investigation is being conducted. This is an ongoing investigation, and we cannot comment further at this time. So still a lot of unanswered questions here. Tom? We thank Priscilla for that report. As outrage and questions grow over the death of Tyrene Nichols, I want to bring in the family's attorney, Ben Crump, who you just heard from in Priscilla's report there. Ben, I know you've been doing this for a long time, and I'm sorry you had to actually watch that video with the parents.

In all your years of practicing the law, have you ever seen anything as horrific? as it's being described in that video? You know, Tom, what I believe is when many people see this video of Tyree Nichols, it's going to remind them of Rodney King. And, you know, tragically, unlike Rodney King, Tyree did not survive. And I think that's what's going to immediately come to people's minds. You know, we know people that have watched this video have described him as being beaten like a piñata. Is that a fair assessment of what this looked like?

It's very appalling when you watch this video because you keep looking for them to display some humanity, to de-escalate the situation. But it seems to be the officers who are asking. escalate in the situation where he's defenseless, he's being restrained, but yet he's still being hit. And so it's troubling on so many levels, Tom. Does the family not want the body cam footage to come out for the public just yet? I understand that investigators are holding it back until their investigation is complete. Is the family okay with this, or would they want that video to be made public?

Well, at Ms. Wells and Mr. Wells, like many in the community, want the video to be made public. However, Ms. Wells said she wants to make sure that there's no technicality that there's no technicality that would have them be able to elude justice because the video was released early. they've agreed one to two weeks. So in two weeks or less, we expect to see that video, Tom. And it's very important because hopefully this could be a teachable moment to say, you know, we're better than what we see that happened to Tyree Nichols. Those five... He should have never...

Those five officers were being killed like this. Yeah, of course. Those five officers have been fired. Is there anything in the video, and I understand you represent the family here, is there anything in the video where, or any moment where you understand why police officers sort of took that excessive force, or was it completely unwarranted from the get-go? It seems like it was unwarranted from the get-go, Tyree's mother, in the first minute when... you hear Tyrese say, what did I do? And you see such, I mean, profanity lodged at him. You see this escalation of excessive force lodged against him.

And it makes you say, whoa, what did he do? And that is the troubling part. It's the escalation from the beginning. They escalate this matter, and you say, it's a simple traffic stop. You know, you shouldn't be killed because of the color of your skin, and you have a simple traffic stop in America. You mentioned the color of your skin, but in this case, which is different than in other cases we've seen across the country over the years,

you have black officers who are responsible for this. Well, what I have come to learn in my almost 25 years of doing this work is that the race of the police officer is not the determinable factor of whether or not they're going to engage in excessive use of force. It is the race of the citizen. And oftentimes, that is, if it's a black citizen or brown citizen, that they are brutalized. We don't see white citizens being brutalized, unarmed white citizens being brutalized in the manner that we see Tyree and so many other videos. I mean, you scratch your head to say, why don't we see videos of police brutalizing, you know, white citizens who are unarmed like they do black citizens. And we have to deal with that in America. We have to, whether it's black officers or white officers, they all have to understand it is not allowed

to trample on the constitutional rights of black and brown people in America. And there's this misnomer out there that we are anti-white cop. No, we're anti-bad cop, regardless if the cop is black or white. Ben, on that point... You don't want them to... Yeah, Ben, on that point, you know, Tyree's family will never get another moment, another day with him. What is justice for them right now? Well, as Dave said, justice is holding them to the full extent of the law, and they have been adamant about that, Tom.

They are so devastated that Tyree was... taken from this earth in this manner. And they want accountability for justice, nothing less. Attorney Ben Crump on top story tonight. Ben, we appreciate it. Thank you for your time. We want to take a tough turn now, but we are following some severe weather and the forecast. A one-two weather punch hitting the country this week.

A wintery mix hammering the northeast today and a foot of snow falling in some places. Meanwhile, out west, a second storm is brewing, set to bring snow and thunderstorms and potential tornadoes to large portions of the country. I want to bring in our friend Bill Cairns, NBC News meteorologist, back from Colorado. Bill, walk us through what we're going to expect this week, because I know there's a lot of precipitation in the air. Yeah, things have changed. We're no longer talking about storms slamming into the west coast. Now we're going to talk about multiple storms over the next couple of weeks, going through the middle of the country and through the northeast. The first one is exiting. It's cleanup time in the northeast. 17 inches of snow in New Hampshire.

That was the highest total I saw. And here comes our next storm. This one is going to be in Texas, in Oklahoma tomorrow. By tomorrow evening, we'll be tracking severe weather, possibly through the Gulf Coast, maybe even isolated tornadoes, snow Oklahoma City for your Tuesday evening commute. Wednesday morning, the worst snow drive will be in St. Louis, Chicago, it looks like Wednesday evening, and then a burst of snow through areas of northern New England Wednesday. So here's the area of concern for tornadoes. This will not be a tornado outbreak, but we do have a chance of isolated, strong tornadoes, maybe even at night. So, of course, very dangerous. Victoria to Houston, the Galveston, New Orleans, Hattiesburg, all the way through Mobile.

in Pensacola, and then also we got about a big snowstorm, too. These are areas that, Tom, they don't drive in snow a lot in Oklahoma. Tomorrow will be dicey. Okay, Bill, Karen, we appreciate it. Now to Washington and the investigation into President Biden's handling of classified material. Yet again, more secret documents have been uncovered. This time, the FBI is searching the president's Delaware home this weekend and seizing

them. NBC News Senior White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell has the latest. The president returned to the White House today, facing a wider, more complicated bind with more classified records found at his Delaware home. This time during an unprecedented FBI search of a sitting president's residence. The White House said agents were invited with no search warrant issued. Some of the additional six items discovered date back to his Senate years, according to the president's personal lawyer, suggesting those were not part of packing up his vice presidential office. Today, I press the White House counsel spokesman.

Are there any other searches that are being planned or any other locations? Look, we're not going to get ahead of the Department of Justice in their investigatory process. This is responsible, the way to make sure that they're able to conduct an investigation independently and thoroughly without undue influence from the outsides. But the White House refuses to answer key questions, including how many classified documents were found. This smells to high heaven with the constant drip, drip, drip of finding more of these after he tells us one week after another, there's no there there. Government secrets have been found on five dates since November at the Biden home, garage, and an office in D.C. The White House stresses its full cooperation with the DOJ, while some top Democrats say damage has been done.

Let's be honest about it. When that information is found, it diminishes. the stature of any person who is in possession of it, because it's not supposed to happen. The president's still getting some pressure there from members of his own party. Kelly O'Donnell joins us now from the White House, and Kelly, the White House also responding to a House oversight request for more information on this issue? And that's because Republicans are now in control there, and that's part of what this White House will have to deal with, oversight from House Republicans. They want answers about the Biden documents.

The White House counsel's office responded with a letter saying that they will work in good faith but want to be careful about the ongoing investigation, separation of powers, and they'll be willing to accommodate what they call legitimate oversight interests. So a willingness to work together, but also sending a message that they don't expect this to be a fishing exhibition from House Republicans. Tom? Kelly O'Donnell, we know that the White House staff works just as hard as our White House correspondents. And sometimes they can get burned out. It is not unusual for high-level members of the administration to leave. We heard the announcement that Chief of Staff Ron Clayne is departing. What more can you tell us about that?

And some viewers may be wondering if they should be reading tea leaves here, if anything over the last couple weeks has to do with this departure. Well, this has been long telegraphed, and it's not yet official, but NBC News reporting, is that Ron Clayne, who is a longtime Biden ally, goes back all the way to the Senate days. And he's been in this position, which is really a 24-7 job as chief of staff, that in the coming weeks, he will step outside of government service and will move to support the president on the outside. Think of a 2020 campaign possibly coming, other ways that he can be a friend from the outside, but have fewer hours and the burdens of running things from the inside. What we do know is that Jeff Zinz, a name you may know, because he had served as the COVID response coordinator.

he would be stepping into the role of chief of staff. And while the White House is saying that Ron Clayne's still on the job right now. Today at the press briefing, when asked about all of this, Corrine Jean-Pierre said he's still on the job, but she also took a little time to praise Ron Clay. It's what a wonderful boss he's been, which is in some ways the kind of sort of flowery praise that happens when someone's nearing the end of their government service.

Tom? Okay, totally understood there. Kelly, we thank you for that. The documents found at President Biden's home. The latest blow to the White House's attempts to move past this issue. For more on the investigation, it's fallout. I want to bring in our panel tonight. NBC News legal analyst Glenn Kirshner, he has more than 20 years experience in the DOJ,

and Tara Paul Mary, she's the senior political correspondent for Puck News. She has some new reporting tonight in a story that's about to drop tonight on the website. So welcome to you guys both. Glenn, I want to start with you. If there's nothing to hide here, why don't you think the president's lawyers invited the Department of Justice to search all of his homes and his offices just to be safe? You know, if there was something to hide, Tom, then perhaps the president and his lawyers would not have invited the Department of Justice in. You know, I was inside the Department of Justice for 24 years and an Army prosecutor before that.

Rarely, will I say, we had folks invite us into their homes to conduct a thorough search. But that's precisely what is being reported. But, Glenn, you're dealing with the president of the United States here. You're not dealing with somebody who's being accused of trafficking. or a mob boss. He's the commander in chief. Yeah, and exactly. And what he, it seems to me, what he wanted to do was be open, transparent, and he wanted to cooperate. So he asked the Department of Justice, he asked investigators to come in, conduct the thorough search to make sure nothing was missed. So if there's something that should

have gone to the National Archives instead of being retained by the president, it seems like he wanted to make sure the documents got where they were supposed to be. I would say that suggests an absence of consciousness of guilt. But, Glenn, if the rules were reversed, right, and say you were investigating the president, and they start finding documents in November before election night, the Friday night before election night, that's when they decide to notify the Department of Justice. I just checked my calendar. It's almost February, and we're still finding documents.

Isn't that strange? It's strange. It's not ideal. And let's face it, those documents should not have been in President Biden's possession. they should have gone to the National Archives. And rather than engage in what about ism, because I don't think there's any comparison between the Trump investigation

and the Biden document investigation. But it is encouraging that he is saying, I would like the Department of Justice to look through everything to make sure that, for example, my team hasn't missed something that should have gone back to the National Archives. Tara, I want to bring you in right before we start

because I know you have some new reporting. Here's what some Democrats said on the Sunday shows. Let's take a listen. to be held accountable and responsible is what we all are. And to put those in unsecured spaces is irresponsible. President Biden said he had no regrets in how he handled this. Do you have any advice for him on how he should handle this?

Oh, I think he should have a lot of regrets. But frankly, Martha, I also don't think this is an issue that's keeping Americans up at night. The political fallout is it's going to take focus and attention. And at a time when our president has done such a strong job, where we've got the wind at our back because of the big pieces of legislation, He just signed into law in the last few months. The fact that this will take up time and be a distraction, yes, that has a political impact. Look, I think Senator Coons brings up a good point.

I don't think Americans are losing sleep over this, but it's bad politically. And your new report you were just telling me about is really interesting because if you sort of look at this, you'd say they made some mistakes and there might be a reason. Why, Tara? Well, it seems like they're really listening to the legal strategy over the PR political strategy. At the end of the day, the president of the United States, as we learned while covering Donald Trump, really can't be prosecuted, right? So it seems that they keep saying

we're following the legal protocol, we're following the legal protocol, and they're pushing the PR team and their communication teams to the side. But from the fact that Corrine Jean-Pierre told us a week and a half ago, there would be no more documents. That they're not working in unison is what you're saying. They're not working in unison with the legal team

withholding information, which is what lawyers do, right? There's always that clash between PR and legal. You know, crisis comms people want to get ahead of it. They want to tell the story legal is withholding. Now, there's a little dynamic going on in there that the head of the legal strategy is married to the head of the communications strategy. That's Bob Bauer, who's the chief counsel, and Anita Dunn, who's the head of the communications team. So the lawyer and the person who's advising the president are married.

Yes, they are. Same team. So you wouldn't want to fire any of those people, but keep going. Exactly. And so there's a feeling that Bob Bauer, who is the chief legal counsel, he's running the show, and the comms team is left in the dust. For example, today, I just asked the White House, what about the University of Delaware where the senatorial papers,

right? Has that been searched yet? Because clearly they just found documents from a Senate days at his home. And so I didn't get any response from that. Any question? It could be searched now. We find out a day or two later. I mean, they're not going to announce when the searches are ongoing, but no, I hear it. Yes or no question. And in fact, the problem is, and the New York Times reported this, is that Dunn is following the direction of her husband. And it's been a dribble, dribble, and politics be damned. They're fine with it. They think it's more important to draw contrast with Trump and show that they're being compliant. But I agree. with you. Why not just do a sweep of everything and everywhere and do it now and let it all

out? It feels like speed would kill. But instead, this drip, drip, drip, in which they claim to be, you know, complying with the authorities and being extra sensitive about releasing information, it makes it seem less transparent. No, I hear you. Glenn, I have a question for you. Our astute political producers here point out that you joined the D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office in 1994. You were there during President Clinton's investigation. I bring this up because sometimes special counsels can turn up things that aren't necessarily connected to what they were investigating, but can still be damaging. Should the president be afraid of anything? He should be afraid of anything if he's committed any, if crimes. And, you know, that's why we now

have a special counsel in place. And yes, we have seen special counsel sort of stray beyond what seemed like their initial mandate. Now, remember, this special counsel has a mandate, and he's investigating the documents matter. And if he were to begin to try to go beyond that, he would actually have to seek the approval of the Attorney General to go beyond it. So, you know, I think President Biden should be concerned if he knows there are crimes that have been committed. I think being open, being transparent, being cooperative, particularly when you're the President of the United States, probably bodes well for you. Glenn, great point. Tara, I want to wrap up with you. So I ask Kelly this question about

Ron Klain stepping out. Viewers at home may be saying, wait a minute, did something happen here? Is this sort of, was this tied in any way to all the mistakes that have happened over the issue of classified documents? Or is your understanding that this was like a long time in the works? People get burnt down. Two years as a chief of staff. A lot better than a lot of the chiefs of staffs under President Trump. So what is your reporting and what have you heard from your sources? I've been hearing for months that Ron Klan was looking to leave. I don't believe it had anything to do with the documents. I don't believe that he was even working for Joe Biden at the time. I think the people who are in his inner circle now that were working for him when he was

vice president and leaving and packing up those boxes, they're still there. That's, you know, Steve Roshetti, Kate Bettingfield. They're in senior roles. But Ron Clayne was not there. And this is, this is separate. There's a new guy. But even the current handling, the fallout since November. Oh, I'm sure. But what we know from reporting is that it's been his chief legal counsel who I mentioned Bob Bauer and Anita Dunn, who have been running this. And yes, it's not a bad time to say you're leaving. Let's be honest. Maybe a tough two years. Right, exactly, with all the investigations.

Tara Palmeri from Puck, look for her story. It drops tonight. Glenn, we thank you so much for joining Top Story. Still ahead tonight, Delane Maxwell speaks out. That's right, the former friend of Jeffrey Epstein, giving an interview from the jail cell where she's serving a 20-year sentence. An on-camera interview, we should point out, for sex trafficking. Of course, that's what happened to Jeffrey Epstein,

the photo from her past that she claims is a fate. We'll explain. Plus, lucky to be alive, a Jeep overturning on train tracks in Michigan. the incredible moment the driver was pulled to safety seconds before that train passed by. And Candy Controversy, why Eminens is saying goodbye to its iconic candy cartoons. This is a little bit ridiculous, but we'll explain. Stay with us. Top story, just getting started.

All right, back now with disgraced socialite and convicted sex trafficker Galane Maxwell, speaking out in an interview from a federal prison in Florida. She's claiming the photo of her with Prince Andrew and his accuser is fake and is refusing to show remorse for her actions. Stephanie Gosk has more. Tonight, Galane Maxwell breaking her silence, speaking from behind bars. The former close friend to the notorious Jeffrey Epstein convicted of sex trafficking, now serving 20 years in prison. Parts of the wide-ranging interview aired on the British Channel Talk TV. The program saying she offered no apology to the victims, instead sending them this message.

Epstein died and they should take their disappointment and upset out on the authorities that allowed that to happen. Maxwell also making headlines over this photo, saying the now infamous picture showing Prince Andrew next to his sexual abuse accuser Virginia Joufrey is a fake. What's a fake? I don't believe that. I don't believe it's real for a second. In fact, I'm sure it's not. There's never been an original. And further, there's no photograph, and I've only ever seen a photocopy of it. I don't believe it happened. And it's certainly the way, as described, would have been impossible. She also took issue with Jouffrey and her statements calling her dishonest. Her stories have changed so many times about what happens, when it happens, how it happens,

with different versions. And each time she speaks, that different version. In response, Joufrey's attorney David Boyes saying in part that Maxwell's attacks on his client, quote, not only illustrate her total lack of remorse or taking responsibility, but are flatly inconsistent with other things that she has said.

Very sad. Juffrey has also previously defended the authenticity of the photo, telling the BBC in 2019, I think the world is getting sick of these ridiculous excuses. It's a real photo. Jewfrey and her attorneys reached a settlement with the Prince last February after a year's long effort to take him to court. Of the dozens of women who accused Epstein of abuse, some testified that Maxwell recruited them initially to give massages to the billionaire. But then they were sexually abused.

I spent the last 17 years in my own prison for what she, Jeffrey and all the co-conspirators did to me. I was raped repeatedly. I was raped three times a day sometimes. who will be in her 80s when released from prison, expressed regret for her association with Epstein, but not for her actions. I wish I'd never met him. You know, looking back now, I probably wish I had stayed at in England.

Galane Maxwell notably does not apologize to her victim. She's actually seeking an appeal of her sentence and to acknowledge that there was any wrongdoing would undermine the success of that appeal. She's currently serving 20 years in that federal prison, and when it comes to federal sentences, there's no getting out early for good behavior. Tom. Okay, Stephanie, Gossk, with that interview from overseas, Stephanie, thank you. When we come back, a former top FBI official arrested, a man who once led New York's counterintelligence division, now charged with taking money from foreign agents and for aiding a Russian oligar.

The details next. Okay, we are back now with Top Stories News Feed, and we begin with the former high-level FBI official charged with aiding a Russian oligarch. Prosecutors allege that Charles McGonkel worked secretly with a Russian oligarch to investigate a Russian rival. He's also accused of taking $225,000 in cash from a former intelligence officer while on the job. McGongle was the former counterintelligence head for the FBI's New York Bureau. A Michigan man is lucky to be alive. after his car crashed onto train tracks. Look at this new dash camp footage near Kalamazoo captures the moment

firefighters pulled a man out of his overturned Jeep. Just seconds before our train came barreling through, police say the driver collided with another car, sending him onto those tracks. He was hospitalized, but is expected to be okay. And say goodbye to Eminem's iconic cartoon mascots, at least for now. The brand announced in a tweet,

it's taking a, quote, indefinite pause from their so-called spokescandies amid internet controversy. Many right-wing media outlets have criticized the figure's rebranded appearances and a female-only special edition pack. Comedian Maya Rudolph will now be Eminem's new spokesperson. All right, turning overseas down to the war in Ukraine and the tanks that could turn the tide of the war. Poland is seeking to build a coalition of nations to send Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine.

Here's some video of what those tanks can do, and because of what these war machines are capable of, Russia, warning that escalation is the most dangerous path. That's a quote from them. Here to break down what these tanks could mean as we approach the second year of the war. I want to bring in Keir Simmons, who joins Top Story tonight. Kier, walk our viewers through why these tanks are so important and why Ukraine needs them. You know, Tom, this German tank could transform the battlefield in Ukraine and bring an end to Russia's occupation. The Leopard 2 is 55 tons, where they're 120-millimeter smooth-bore gun.

It's 1,500 horsepower engine runs on diesel. lot simpler than America's jet fuel-powered Abram. But here is perhaps the most powerful point about this battle tank. There are a massive number of them in Europe already. Take a look at this map. Sweden and Switzerland have more than 100. Spain, Greece and Finland have 200 or more, while Poland, neighboring Ukraine, has 250. None of them can be sent to Ukraine without Germany's permission, but tonight it looks like that permission might be granted. And a frustrated Poland says it will send them anyway. Maybe one reason Germany is so reluctant is that sending all this firepower to Ukraine would so clearly turn the tide that it might drive Russia to escalate.

But Eastern European countries we spoke to today warned Russia is preparing a new offensive anyway. And listen to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Talk Friday about the risk that Russia is dug in. So from a military standpoint, I still maintain that for this year it would be very, very difficult to militarily eject the Russian forces from all every inch of Ukrainian occupied or Russian occupied Ukraine. That doesn't mean it can't happen, doesn't mean it won't happen, but it'd be very, very difficult. The problem is, of course, if the chairman of the Joint Chiefs is right that it's difficult for Ukraine to eject Russia this year, then when will it happen? Will it ever happen? By 2024, elections will be underway there in the U.S. Could the war in Ukraine still be dragging on then?

is ticking. The tank could speed up the day when President Putin has to negotiate, while some in Western governments warn that if the Russian leader is left with Ukrainian land, his aggression and nuclear threats will be vindicated with terrible international implications, Tom. Keir, you bring up a lot of good points here, but I think a lot of viewers at home are going to be asking, we've seen NATO and the U.S. supply mission, missile, I should say, in artillery systems to Ukraine. What makes battle tanks so different? Well, think about this, Tom, as offense and defense. So those missiles, the air cover, that is good for defense for Ukraine, stopping that force,

that surge of Russian forces moving more into Ukrainian territory. But Ukraine, in order to push back the Russians, needs things like these battle tanks. And as I said, Tom, in the end, if Ukraine can't push the Russians out of their territory, How can they even be negotiations? No, it's a good point. We saw that the UK pledged 10 of their main battle tanks to Ukraine. How many tanks would it take, though, to turn the tide? And I saw you explain how the U.S. tanks run on jet fuel.

It's a little more complicated. But why hasn't the U.S. sent Ukraine tanks? Yeah. Well, I think the German tanks are just more available, as I mentioned. Ukraine needs, Tom, around 100 of them or more. That could be a real possibility. take maybe three to six weeks to train Ukrainians in these tanks. And remember, spring is coming. Think about the idea of a spring offensive. Can Ukraine launch a spring offensive?

Will Russia launch a spring offensive, Tom? Kier Simmons from London for us, Kier, we thank you. Now to Top Stories Global Watch and the nationwide power outage in Pakistan. Take a look. Officials say the country's national power grid suffered a major breakdown, leaving tens of millions of people without power. Now, though, we've been told power is slowly starting to be restored. Authorities claim a voltage surge caused the blackout. It's the power grid's second major failure in just three months. And the latest now on those deadly protests in Peru we've been telling you about, famed tourist site, Machu Picchu, is closed indefinitely. Entry to the site and the Inca Trail that leads up to it currently suspended. The drastic move comes as nationwide

protests converge near the 15th century citadel. Protesters even damaging train tracks, used to transport visitors. On Saturday, hundreds of tourists were trapped on Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail but have since been rescued. Okay, an Avatar, the Way of the Water, topping $2 billion in global box office sales. James Cameron's latest offering now

the sixth highest-grossing movie of all time, about $1.4 billion of those ticket sales coming from international markets outside the U.S. and Canada. The film has occupied the top spot at the box office for six consecutive weeks. Okay, coming up, Remember the Fire Festival disaster? Well, the founder of that nightmare is sure, hoping you don't.

He's back promoting, get this, a new adventure. We'll tell you all about it. That's next. We're back now with a new twist in the Fire Festival saga, creator Billy McFarlane, you may remember, who served prison time for the failed festival, now back in the headlines and promoting a new venture. But some former employees of his are already sounding the alarm over the project. Stephen Romo has that story and the new interview with the man behind all of it. Oh, you said it for April? The man behind the infamous fire festival, Billy McFarland. Biggest event in decade, I promise you.

I'll be there. Yes, that guy who promised thousands a weekend in the Bahamas with the rich and the famous, but instead left him sleeping intense and eating processed cheese. Well, he's back. It's a little crazier, but a whole lot bigger than anything I've ever tried before. After spending four years in prison, McFarland has a new venture. We're officially hiring.

The bad news, our budget is super low, it's super high risk, and there are millions of people out there fighting every day to stop us. P-Y-R-T, pronounced pirate, is described as a worldwide treasure hunt for 99 messages in a bottle. You have 48 hours to find it. Once the bottles are found, winners join a larger-scale treasure hunt. We'll kind of get, like, one immediate short-term experience, and then they join the pirate crew, and are essentially part of a larger treasure hunt that'll be announcing in the future. McFarland telling NBC News Jake Trailer, those short-term experiences so far include things like zero-gravity flights around Manhattan, and you guessed it, a trip to the Bahamas. We're going to grab the bottle. Now we're here enjoying our life.

But some of McFarland's former employees are sounding the alarm. One telling NBC News, quote, the similarities are there around the vague, mysterious promotion, adding, Pirate appears to be an exercise in smoke and mirrors, buzzwords, and empty promises of lavish trips to the Bahamas. It was empty promises almost six years ago that first made McFarland and his festival a household name. Tonight, many are calling it festival fraud. The fire music festival. Nightmare of wet tents, a total disaster. Fire festival, spearhead.

headed by McFarland in Jarlane was supposed to be the next Coachella for the elite. Exclusivity with access to premier talent. It was going to be an experience, ordering on impossibly. Roughly 5,000 people spent up to tens of thousands of dollars for a promised real-life island fantasy. Within 48 hours, they sold out. Promoted heavily toward millennials on social media and getting endorsements from celebrities like Kendall Jenner. Bella Hadid and Haley Bieber. But that island getaway turned into a disaster once attendees actually started to arrive.

Festival goers were met with an unfinished site, forced to sleep in FEMA tents. The food, supposed to be provided by celebrity chefs, but turned out to be just slices of cheese on bread. Lead performers backed out and planes of festival goers turned away before they even took off. We have been advised by fire, the tour operator of your flight, that they can no longer accept any further guests in Xuma. The whole fiasco going viral. Organizers released a statement saying, we thought we were ready, but then everyone arrived. The team was overwhelmed. All leading to McFarlane's guilty plea on wire fraud charges related to the festival and a six-year jail sentence. Now with his early release, McFarlane's eyes are

on a new island getaway. Pirate is not just about the Bahamas. We're open and actively seeking other partnerships. But McFarland is not allowed back to the island nations. Bahamas deputy prime minister issuing a statement to NBC news saying, quote, he is considered to be a fugitive, with several pending complaints made against him with the Royal Bahamas police force. Anyone knowing of his whereabouts should report same to the RBPF.

McFarland hoping he can not only go back there, but also make a comeback. after a spectacular fall from grace. Now, responding to the criticism surrounding his latest adventure, McFarland tells NBC News in part that this won't be a repeat of the fire festival because he hasn't made any promises to investors or partners. And he says this time around he's not rushing things. Tom? Billy may love the Bahamas, but I'm not sure if that feeling is mutual.

All right, coming up, a diver lost at sea. His family racing to their boat with a one in a moment. million shot to find him, the incredible rescue you have to see to believe. Stay with us. Back now with an incredible story out of Florida, an experienced free diver getting caught up in some currents, swept out to see his family taking off on boats, searching for him in pure desperation. Sam Brock picks up the story from there. Oh my God, Dylan. Tonight, an incredible and miraculous rescue off the Florida Keys. Dylan Gardin Meyer is an experience

I do a lot of deep free diving, so I like to go over 100 plus feet on a single breath. But last week, he got caught in powerful Gulfstream currents while deep underwater without scuba gear. When he resurfaced after nearly two minutes, he says he was miles from the boat where his companions were waiting. We get the call for my ex-husband tabbed. Something's wrong with Dylan. They haven't seen him in an hour. His mom and family racing to try and find him. I'm sure you've seen the videos of us going a little bit fast down the Now for my son's life. Dylan, growing desperate, set his sights on the nearest channel marker, clinging to a piece of bamboo. I'd climbed up that marker and looked around, didn't see nobody. At that point, my bamboo had started drifting away from me. With the Coast Guard searching by air and sea,

his family sped to Dylan's last known coordinates. He obviously wasn't on those. Dylan had found some buoys and used them to float, and his friend spotted them. When he sees the buoys, he's like, it's Dylan. It's Dylan. It's Dylan. Oh my God. That's my grandpa. boat. And we all just jumped for joy. Natives of the Florida Keys, the Gardinmeyer family, knows just how unlikely this rescue was. It's a miracle we landed right on my son and a needle in a haystack. You're in the middle of the ocean, and that's God. So happy they found him.

Okay, we thank Sam Brock for that story. We thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamerson, New York. Stay right there. More news on the way. Thank you.