(NEW YORK) — Here are today’s In Crisis headlines:
FBI warns of inauguration week protests; Washington, D.C. security prep begins early
Starting this week and running through at least Inauguration Day, armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitals at the U.S. Capitol, according to an internal FBI bulletin obtained by ABC News. “As of 10 January, armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from 16 January through at least 20 January, and at the U.S. Capitol from 17 January through 20 January,” the bulletin said. In addition, the FBI has received information in recent days regarding an identified group that’s calling for “storming” state, local, and federal government courthouses and administrative buildings in the event President Trump is removed from office prior to Inauguration Day. The group is also planning to “storm” government offices in every state on Inauguration Day, regardless of whether the states certified electoral votes for Biden or Trump.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security will commence inaugural security Wednesday, nearly a week ahead of schedule. DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf — who on Monday announced his resignation from the post, citing reasons unrelated to the Capitol siege — said the early start is “in light of the events of the past week and the evolving security landscape leading up to the inauguration.” Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser requested that the enhanced security begin immediately and took the sobering step of warning Americans to stay away from the nation’s capital during the inauguration, which is traditionally a celebration of democracy that citizens are encouraged to attend.
A Quinnipiac poll released Monday shows 91% of self-identified registered voters say they want to see the individuals who stormed the U.S. Capitol held accountable for their actions. This is widely supported across party lines, with 87% of Republicans, 99% of Democrats and 89% of independents saying they want the individuals held accountable. Eight in ten of responding registered voters also say the individuals who stormed the U.S. Capitol were undermining democracy, including 70% of Republicans, 80% of independents and 95% of Democrats.
Capitol Police suspensions, investigations revealed
Several Capitol Police officers have been suspended and many others are under investigation in the wake of last week’s Capitol Hill siege. Rep. Tim Ryan said one suspended officer took a selfie with rioters, and another donned a MAGA hat and allegedly gave directions to rioters. The ineffectual response of Capitol Police to the riot, which resulted in the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, continues to be the subject of investigation and bipartisan criticism. Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resigned his position one day after the riot, and has since said his repeated pleas for additional law enforcement assistance, including from the National Guard, were rebuffed by officials prior to last Wednesday and during the riot itself.
House Democrats proceed with impeachment; vote expected Wednesday
House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a single article of impeachment, charging President Trump with “incitement of insurrection” related to last week’s storming of Capitol Hill by thousands of Trump supporters, resulting in the deaths of five people. At least 210 Democrats now support the resolution but it’s still unclear how many Republicans may join the effort. The House of Representatives is expected today to debate and pass a bill via roll call vote demanding Vice President Mike Pence mobilize the Cabinet to remove Trump from office via the 25th Amendment. That vote is expected around 7:30 p.m., according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s office. Democrats will give Pence “24 hours after passage” to respond, according to a statement Monday from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, otherwise they will move forward with the impeachment vote Wednesday. If passed, Trump would become the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.
COVID-19 numbers
Here’s the latest data on COVID-19 coronavirus infections and deaths.
Latest reported numbers globally per Johns Hopkins University
Global diagnosed cases: 91,027,775
Global deaths: 1,948,236. The United States has the most deaths of any single country, with 376,295.
Number of countries/regions: at least 191
Total patients recovered globally: 50,400,048
Latest reported numbers in the United States per Johns Hopkins University
There are at least 22,620,333 reported cases in 50 states + the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. This is more than in any other country.
U.S. deaths: at least 376,295. New York State has the greatest number of reported deaths in the U.S., with 39,834.
U.S. total people tested: 267,490,302
The greatest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is in California, with 2,758,021 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 39.51 million. This ranks first in the world. England is second in the world, with 2,705,964 cases. Texas is third, with 1,990,502 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 29 million.
Trump administration no longer holding back vaccine doses, recommends broader rollout
During an interview Tuesday on ABC’s Good Morning America, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar confirmed that the Trump administration will now no longer hold back vaccine doses, and that the administration is now recommending that states “vaccinate people age 65 and over and under age 65 with a comorbidity.” He also said the administration is willing to “deploy teams to help states doing mass vaccination efforts if they wish to do so.”
The administration’s Operation Warp Speed has been criticized for falling short of the promised goal of vaccinating 20 million Americans by the end of 2020, a shortfall the administration in turn has partially blamed on states. “We’ve had so much success with quality and predictable manufacturing and almost flawless distribution of the vaccine, but we have seen now that the administration in the states has been too narrowly focused,” Azar told GMA Tuesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest vaccine data declares that out of 25,480,725 total doses distributed in the U.S., only 8.987,322 had been administered as of Monday.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.