NEW YORK ― At least six people were killed and 15 people injured Tuesday afternoon after a man drove a Home Depot rental truck down a bike path in lower Manhattan in New York City, striking several people, policesaid.
According to authorities, the driver went down the wrong way of a bike path on the West Side Highway, then rammed into another vehicle, reportedly a Stuyvesant High School bus. He then exited the vehicle brandishing what police described as “imitation firearms.” Police then shot him.
Authorities confirmed one person is in custody, and said they weren’t looking for other suspects. They urged residents to remain clear of the area of Chambers Street and West Street.
The FBI and the New York Police Department are investigating the incident. Contradicting earlier reports, a law enforcement source told HuffPost the incident is being investigated as terror-related.
WASHINGTON — Sam Clovis, the former top Trump campaign official who supervised a man now cooperating with the FBI's Russia investigation, was questioned last week by special counsel Robert Mueller's team and testified before the investigating grand jury, a person with first-hand knowledge of the matter told NBC News.
Clovis, who is President Donald Trump's pick to be the Department of Agriculture's chief scientist, could not be reached for comment. His lawyer, Victoria Toensing, would neither confirm nor deny his interactions with the Mueller team.
"I'm not going to get into that," she said in an interview.
George Papadopoulos was arrested in July and began cooperating with agents, records show — disclosing his interactions with a professor and other Russians whom the FBI suggested in court documents may have been working for Russian intelligence agencies. He pleaded guilty to making false statements on Oct. 5.
Sam Clovis speaks during a news conference with Donald Trump ahead of a rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Aug. 25, 2015. Daniel Acker / Bloomberg via Getty Images
The court documents unsealed Monday describe emails between Papadopoulos and an unnamed "campaign supervisor." The supervisor responded "Great work" after Papadopoulos discussed his interactions with Russians who wanted to arrange a meeting with Trump and Russian leaders.
Toensing confirmed that Clovis was the campaign supervisor in the emails. Clovis, a former Air Force officer and Pentagon official who unsuccessfully ran for Iowa State Treasurer in 2014, was the Trump campaign's chief policy adviser and national co-chairman.
He is currently serving as an unpaid White House adviser to the Agriculture Department, awaiting Senate confirmation before the Agriculture Committee for the scientist job. He is not a scientist.
WH Dissociates From Papadopoulos: His Lies Are 'On Him, Not On The Campaign'1:13
In a statement, Toensing's office said Clovis set up a national security committee in the Trump campaign that included Papadopoulos, "who attended one meeting and was never otherwise approached by the campaign for consultation."
She disputed a suggestion in the Papadopoulos documents that he was told by Clovis that a top campaign priority was improving relations with Russia.
In August 2016, according to court documents, Papadopoulos told Clovis about his efforts to organize an "off the record" meeting with Russian officials.
"I would encourage you" and another foreign policy adviser to the campaign to "make the trip, if it is feasible," Clovis responded.
In the statement, Toensing said the Trump campaign had a strict rule prohibiting travel abroad on behalf of the campaign, but said that Clovis would have had no authority to stop Papadopoulos from traveling in his personal capacity.
Sam Clovis speaks in Johnston, Iowa on April 24, 2014. Charlie Neibergall / AP file
"Dr. Clovis has not communicated with Mr. Papadopoulos since prior to the 2016 election," the statement says.
Democrats have already targeted Clovis' nomination to what is often referred to as the department's chief scientist because he has previously stated doubts about climate change.
In a 2014 interview when he was a candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa, Clovis described himself as "extremely skeptical" of the overwhelming assessment of climate scientists that human behavior is responsible for warming trends. "A lot of the science is junk science," he said then.
In his role in the Trump campaign Clovis, a 25-year Air Force veteran, helped assemble Trump's National Security Advisory Committee, chaired by then-Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), which was publicly announced in March 2016.
A public Senate confirmation hearing would give Democrats on the committee an opportunity to question Clovis about his interactions with Papadopoulos and the campaign's deliberation about meetings with Russian officials.
"I’m not aware that any change would be necessary at this time," White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters at the daily press briefing when asked about the status of Clovis’ nomination.
The Agriculture Committee is chaired by Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, a former chairman of the Intelligence Committee. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which is conducting its own Russia-related probe, is also a member of the Agriculture Committee, as are Democrats Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
George Papadopoulos Uncredited
"A hearing later this week is to be determined," said Roberts. "We'll make that determination after we check with all members of the ag committee. I know the Democrats have marching orders to oppose him and so we usually operate in a bipartisan manner. We'll see."
Clovis was also interviewed recently by the Senate Intelligence Committee, according to a source with direct knowledge. Roberts told Politico Tuesday that Clovis was "a fully cooperative witness."
Clovis has continued to work at the Agriculture Department even as his nomination is pending. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has referred to Clovis as a "trusted adviser and steady hand" in his work for USDA in his current role, noting when his nomination was announced that he "was one of the first people through the door."
This October, we hope you are doing your bit to show your solidarity with those affected by Breast Cancer. Whether its through donations, participating in fund raising activities or merely giving support to those around you, your support goes a long way. If you find yourself in a limbo state and you are unsure of how you can get involved this Breast Cancer month, we have a few tips to get you going.
Spreading awareness this Breast Cancer month
At Spacial, we always do our bit in the month of October to help raise awareness around Breast Cancer. You might be wondering why we care so much about the topic yet we specialize in radio? Well, our answer is simple. We care about the communities around us. We have in the past raised funds which were donated to NBCFand will continue to do so again this year. We are also dedicating this month to empower you on how you can get involved in spreading awareness to ensure breast cancer is detected early. Early detection is of paramount importance as it means higher chances of survival for the victims. In your personal capacity how can you raise awareness you might be thinking? Below are a few tips:
Encourage Self examination - encourage those around you to self examine their breasts on a regular basis and any unusual changes should be taken seriously and a GP should be consulted.
Spread the word about mammograms - Mammograms are a specific breast exam used to detect breast cancer early. Early detection saves lives so having an annual mammogram helps detect any abnormal areas in the breast. Annual mammograms are mostly recommended for women from the age of 40.
Share information about Breast Cancer- As broadcasters, some of us already own radio stations. You can use your internet radio as a platform to share information around Breast Cancer and the importance of early detection. Moreso, in this digital age, most of us have social media platforms. Why not use your social platforms for a good cause and spread awareness information around breast cancer. This can be on your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google Plus account. You might just save a life!
Participate in community events - in the communities we live in, we have community members already involved in awareness programs. Why not join community events and make your contribution. It could be through talks or activities such as sports meant to raise awareness or to raise funds.
The bottom line is it doesn't take much to help spread awareness of breast cancer and the benefits of early detection, so do your bit today. If you are involved in any breast cancer awareness activities this October, feel free to share on our Facebook page. Together we can save lives and make a difference.
