Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1253
Lawmakers vow to investigate police after Capitol breachVideo
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are vowing an investigation into how Capitol police handled Wednesday’s violent breach at the Capitol, questioning whether a lack of preparedness allowed the mob to occupy and vandalize the building. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., chairwoman of the House Administration Committee, said the breach “raises grave security concerns,″...
Editorial: An assault on the American system
The U.S. Capitol is the cathedral of government in the United States. Since 1793, it has been where the laws that shape our nation were baptized. Where treaties were blessed. Where solemn acts of war were confirmed. While we separate our churches from the state, the Capitol with its awe-inspiring...
Facebook removes Trump’s video on Capitol chaos; Twitter locks his account
Twitter and Facebook on Wednesday removed a video posted by President Donald Trump in which he falsely claimed that the November election was stolen from him and asked rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol to go home even as he praised them. In the video, Trump said that he won...
Capitol has seen violence over 220 years, but not like this
In more than 220 years, the U.S. Capitol had seen nothing like it: a roiling mob, forcing its way past its majestic marble columns, disrupting the passage of power, desecrating the seat of the world’s greatest democracy. But this was far from the first time the Capitol has been scarred...
Ex-GOP state Rep. Rick Saccone joins chaos in Washington, praises TrumpVideo
Former Republican congressional candidate Rick Saccone was in Washington on Wednesday, and bragged on his Facebook page about storming the Capitol. The post was removed by early evening, but was captured by various media members and constituents. Saccone wrote: “We are storming the capitol. Our vanguard has broken through the...
Allegheny County officials worried about large New Year’s parties leading to covid spread
Allegheny County officials remain concerned about a post-holiday surge in covid-19 cases, as case investigators have already begun receiving reports of cases stemming from parties and travel. Dr. Debra Bogen, director of the county health department, said cases and hospitalizations hit a peak in late November and early December and...
Allegheny County, Pittsburgh officials monitor D.C. unrestVideo
Allegheny County and Pittsburgh law enforcement are on alert in the event the unrest in Washington, D.C. becomes an issue locally, officials said late Wednesday afternoon. “I can tell you that, locally, we have no reports of anything,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said prior to the start of the...
World leaders express shock at storming of U.S. Capitol
Leaders around the world condemned the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, expressing shock at the chaos unfolding in a country they once relied upon for global leadership. “Disgraceful scenes in US Congress,” tweeted Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, a staunch ally...
Trump supporters stage protests nationwide
From Oklahoma to Kansas to Utah, supporters of President Donald Trump staged protests nationwide Wednesday. In Oklahoma City, Okla., close to 1,000 Trump supporters gathered at the Oklahoma Capitol as a joint session of Congress convened in Washington to confirm the Electoral College vote won by Joe Biden. Protesters held...
Pa. Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward defends election questions as U.S. Capitol stormed
State Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward on Wednesday refused to budge from her position questioning the integrity of Nov. 3 election in Pennsylvania, even as an angry crowd of Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol and Gov. Tom Wolf called out state Republicans for fomenting a “shameful lie.” Ward of...
‘An absolute disgrace’: Pa. delegation reacts to violent storming of U.S. Capitol
Mike Doyle has served in Congress since 1995. The Democrat from Forest Hills said he has never seen a day like Wednesday when protesters stormed the Capitol and created a violent scene that caused House and Senate members to flee. “This looks like something that would happen in a Third...
Few covid infections in Allegheny County linked to classroom, health officials say
Few covid-19 infections among K-12 students in Allegheny County have been linked to the classroom, Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said Wednesday. Students learning from home have had just as many cases as those learning in-person or through hybrid models, Bogen said during a county Board of Health meeting. “I...
Biden calls on protesters to ‘pull back,’ urges restoring decency
WILMINGTON, Del. — President-elect Joe Biden called Wednesday for the restoration of “just simple decency” as a mob incited by his predecessor stormed the U.S. Capitol and delayed Congress from certifying the results of November’s election in which Biden won the White House. Biden had planned to deliver a speech...
$1 million scratch-off ticket sold in Monessen
A lucky gas station customer in Monessen bought a scratch-off ticket worth $1 million, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery. Eastgate Exxon & Convenience Store on Eastgate Avenue sold the winning Magnificent Millions ticket, which cost $20. The odds of winning the $1 million to prize in Magnificent Millions are 1...
Woman shot inside Capitol during riot diesVideo
WASHINGTON — A woman who was shot inside the U.S. Capitol during the violent pro-Trump protest has died. That’s according to two officials familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The Metropolitan Police Department...
Trump to protesters: ‘We love you. You’re very special … but go home’
President Donald Trump issued a recorded statement via Twitter about 4:20 p.m. Wednesday telling protesters who stormed the U.S. Capitol to “go home.” And then he doubled down about two hours later. “I know you’re pain. I know you’re hurt,” Trump said in his statement. “We had an election that...
Photos: Protesters storm U.S. Capitol, disrupt approval of Biden’s win
Protesters backing President Donald Trump breached the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in violent clashes with police that force a delay in the constitutional process to affirm Joe Biden’s victory in the November election. Trump had urged his supporters to come to Washington to protest Congress’ formal approval of Biden’s win....
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: Challenging Biden win threatens republic
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged fellow Republicans on Wednesday to abandon their effort to overrule President-elect Joe Biden’s election triumph, directly rebuking defeated President Donald Trump and asserting that the GOP drive threatened the country’s democratic foundations. “The voters, the courts and the states have all spoken,”...
Pittsburgh man charged in Lawrenceville explosion
A Pittsburgh man, who investigators said blew up a Porta-John in the city in November, is charged in federal court with throwing an explosive device from a moving vehicle in a separate incident Sunday night in Lawrenceville. Charles Baker, 33, is charged with illegal possession of an unregistered destructive device...
State, local NAACP chapters reiterate need for Gateway School Board member to resign
The leader of the local and state NAACP chapters further denounced an alleged racist text from a Gateway School Board member and again called for him to resign during a virtual press conference Wednesday. Kenneth Huston, the Pennsylvania NAACP president, said Gateway school board member Paul Caliari’s text sent in...
Biden introduces Judge Merrick Garland as attorney general
President-elect Joe Biden introduced Merrick Garland as his pick for attorney general on Thursday, turning to an experienced judge to help de-politicize the Justice Department and restore the rule of law after what he described as four years of lawlessness under President Donald Trump. Biden also described the pro-Trump mob...
Pro-Trump mob overruns U.S. Capitol in bid to overturn election; 4 dead
WASHINGTON — A violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers into hiding, in a stunning attempt to overturn America’s presidential election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House. The nation’s elected representatives...
Pence defies Trump, says he can’t reject electoral votes
WASHINGTON — Defying President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged Wednesday he does not have the power to throw out the electoral votes that will make Democrat Joe Biden the next president in two weeks, dashing Trump’s baseless hopes that Pence somehow could find a way to keep him...
Westmoreland County adds 16 covid deaths, 331 new cases
Westmoreland County saw its highest single-day coronavirus death report Wednesday, adding 16 to its total. Those newly reported deaths bring the county’s total to 459, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Deaths have been climbing rapidly in the county after a slow climb to 100 at the end of...
Allegheny County reports most new covid cases in Pa., adds 46 deaths
Allegheny County reported the most new coronavirus cases in the state Wednesday. The county’s health department reported 881 new cases, bringing its total since last March to 57,708. Those new cases were the highest reported in the state, followed by Philadelphia (752), Lancaster (459), Montgomery (448) and Bucks (414), according...
