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Trump impeached after Capitol riot in historic second charge

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House for a historic second time Wednesday, charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the deadly mob siege of the Capitol in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office.

With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. The proceedings moved at lightning speed, with lawmakers voting just one week after violent pro-Trump loyalists stormed the U.S. Capitol, egged on by the president’s calls for them to “fight like hell” against the election results.

Ten Republicans fled Trump, joining Democrats who said he needed to be held accountable and warned ominously of a “clear and present danger” if Congress should leave him unchecked before Democrat Joe Biden’s inauguration Jan. 20.

Trump is the only U.S. president to be twice impeached. It was the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times, more so than against Bill Clinton in 1998.

The Capitol insurrection stunned and angered lawmakers, who were sent scrambling for safety as the mob descended, and it revealed the fragility of the nation’s history of peaceful transfers of power. The riot also forced a reckoning among some Republicans, who have stood by Trump throughout his presidency and largely allowed him to spread false attacks against the integrity of the 2020 election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invoked Abraham Lincoln and the Bible, imploring lawmakers to uphold their oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign “and domestic.”

She said of Trump: “He must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love.”

Holed up at the White House, watching the proceedings on TV, Trump later released a video statement in which he made no mention at all of the impeachment but appealed to his supporters to refrain from any further violence or disruption of Biden’s inauguration.

“Like all of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened by the calamity at the Capitol last week,” he said, his first condemnation of the attack. He appealed for unity “to move forward” and said, “Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. … No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement.”

Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but the Senate voted in 2020 acquit. He is the first president to be impeached twice. None has been convicted by the Senate, but Republicans said Wednesday that could change in the rapidly shifting political environment as officeholders, donors, big business and others peel away from the defeated president.

Biden said in a statement after the vote that it was his hope the Senate leadership “will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation.”

The soonest Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell would start an impeachment trial is next Tuesday, the day before Trump is already set to leave the White House, McConnell’s office said. The legislation is also intended to prevent Trump from ever running again.

McConnell believes Trump committed impeachable offenses and considers the Democrats’ impeachment drive an opportunity to reduce the divisive, chaotic president’s hold on the GOP, a Republican strategist told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

McConnell told major donors over the weekend that he was through with Trump, said the strategist, who demanded anonymity to describe McConnell’s conversations.

In a note to colleagues Wednesday, McConnell said he had “not made a final decision on how I will vote.”

Unlike his first time, Trump faces this impeachment as a weakened leader, having lost his own reelection as well as the Senate Republican majority.

Even Trump ally Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, shifted his position and said Wednesday the president bears responsibility for the horrifying day at the Capitol.

In making a case for the “high crimes and misdemeanors” demanded in the Constitution, the four-page impeachment resolution approved Wednesday relies on Trump’s own incendiary rhetoric and the falsehoods he spread about Biden’s election victory, including at a rally near the White House on the day of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

A Capitol Police officer died from injuries suffered in the riot, and police shot and killed a woman during the siege. Three other people died in what authorities said were medical emergencies. The riot delayed the tally of Electoral College votes that was the last step in finalizing Biden’s victory.

Ten Republican lawmakers, including third-ranking House GOP leader Liz Cheney of Wyoming, voted to impeach Trump, cleaving the Republican leadership, and the party itself.

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time. (AP Graphic)

Cheney, whose father is the former Republican vice president, said of Trump’s actions summoning the mob that “there has never been a greater betrayal by a President” of his office.

Trump was said to be livid with perceived disloyalty from McConnell and Cheney.

With the team around Trump hollowed out and his Twitter account silenced by the social media company, the president was deeply frustrated that he could not hit back, according to White House officials and Republicans close to the West Wing who weren’t authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.

From the White House, Trump leaned on Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to push Republican senators to resist, while chief of staff Mark Meadows called some of his former colleagues on Capitol Hill.

The president’s sturdy popularity with the GOP lawmakers’ constituents still had some sway, and most House Republicans voted not to impeach.

Security was exceptionally tight at the Capitol, with tall fences around the complex. Metal-detector screenings were required for lawmakers entering the House chamber, where a week earlier lawmakers huddled inside as police, guns drawn, barricaded the door from rioters.

“We are debating this historic measure at a crime scene,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

During the debate, some Republicans repeated the falsehoods spread by Trump about the election and argued that the president has been treated unfairly by Democrats from the day he took office.

Other Republicans argued the impeachment was a rushed sham and complained about a double standard applied to his supporters but not to the liberal left. Some simply appealed for the nation to move on.

Rep. Tom McClintock of California said, “Every movement has a lunatic fringe.”

Yet Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. and others recounted the harrowing day as rioters pounded on the chamber door trying to break in. Some called it a “coup” attempt.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., contended that Trump was “capable of starting a civil war.”

Conviction and removal of Trump would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate, which will be evenly divided. Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania joined Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska over the weekend in calling for Trump to “go away as soon as possible.”

Fending off concerns that an impeachment trial would bog down his first days in office, Biden is encouraging senators to divide their time between taking taking up his priorities of confirming his nominees and approving COVID-19 relief while also conducting the trial.

The impeachment bill draws from Trump’s own false statements about his election defeat to Biden. Judges across the country, including some nominated by Trump, have repeatedly dismissed cases challenging the election results, and former Attorney General William Barr, a Trump ally, has said there was no sign of widespread fraud.

The House had first tried to persuade Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke their authority under the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. Pence declined to do so, but the House passed the resolution anyway.

The impeachment bill also details Trump’s pressure on state officials in Georgia to “find” him more votes.

While some have questioned impeaching the president so close to the end of his term, there is precedent. In 1876, during the Ulysses Grant administration, War Secretary William Belknap was impeached by the House the day he resigned, and the Senate convened a trial months later. He was acquitted.

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Central Florida News

City of Orlando Earns Top-Tier ISO Building Code Effectiveness Rating, Reinforcing Commitment to Safety and Resilience

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ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The City of Orlando has earned a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Scale (BCEGS) rating of 2 from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), marking an improvement from its previous rating of 3 received during the city’s 2023 evaluation.

The improved rating recognizes the city’s continued commitment to enforcing strong building codes that enhance public safety, strengthen disaster resilience and support long-term economic growth.

Orlando Surpasses State Averages

The ISO’s BCEGS program evaluates how effectively local governments adopt and enforce modern building codes for residential and commercial construction. Ratings range from 1 to 10, with 1 representing the highest level of building code effectiveness.

Orlando earned a rating of 2 in both the residential and commercial categories, outperforming Florida’s statewide averages.

According to the city:

  • Orlando Residential Rating: 2
  • Florida Residential Average: 4
  • Orlando Commercial Rating: 2
  • Florida Commercial Average: 3

The city’s performance also exceeds national ISO averages, reflecting Orlando’s continued investment in building safety and code enforcement.

Mayor Buddy Dyer Praises Permitting Team

Mayor Buddy Dyer credited the city’s Permitting Services Division for the achievement.

“This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our community through strong building safety standards,” Dyer said. “Our Permitting Services team works every day to ensure that homes, businesses and other structures throughout Orlando are built safely and in accordance with the highest standards.”

Benefits for Residents and Businesses

City officials said a stronger ISO BCEGS rating offers several potential benefits for homeowners, businesses and developers, including:

  • Potential reductions in property insurance premiums for qualifying residential and commercial properties.
  • Improved disaster preparedness and faster recovery following hurricanes and other natural hazards.
  • Greater community resilience through safer, more durable construction.
  • Enhanced economic competitiveness by attracting new commercial investment and development.

While insurance savings vary by insurer and policy, many companies consider ISO ratings when assessing property risk.

Comprehensive Evaluation Process

Communities participating in the BCEGS program are evaluated across 27 categories, including:

  • Building code adoption
  • Code enforcement practices
  • Inspection procedures
  • Staff qualifications and training
  • Administrative processes
  • Fire prevention coordination
  • Permitting operations

The City of Orlando said the improved rating reflects the collaborative efforts of building inspectors, plans examiners, permitting technicians, fire marshals, code officials and administrative staff who work together to ensure new construction complies with current safety standards.

Investing in Long-Term Resilience

City officials noted that strong building codes not only improve life safety but also reduce property damage during hurricanes and other disasters.

More resilient buildings help stabilize neighborhoods, preserve property values and protect the local tax base that funds essential public services, including:

  • Police and fire protection
  • Transportation infrastructure
  • Parks and recreation
  • Public works
  • Community services

The improved ISO rating underscores Orlando’s ongoing commitment to maintaining high construction standards while supporting sustainable growth throughout the city.

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Central Florida News

Orange County Sheriff’s Office: Teen Arrested on Evidence Tampering Charge in Deadly Old Cheney Highway Shooting

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ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that a teenager has been arrested on an evidence tampering charge as detectives continue investigating the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old girl in east Orange County.

Authorities identified the suspect as Jehovah Jeremiah Mitchell, 19, who was arrested and charged with Tampering With or Fabricating Physical Evidence. Investigators emphasized that the homicide investigation remains active and that no additional charges or details have been released.

Victim Identified

The Sheriff’s Office previously identified the victim as Skyler Ley’Shea Bradford, 17.

Bradford died after being shot on Wednesday, July 29, in the 5500 block of Old Cheney Highway.

Investigation Timeline

According to investigators, deputies responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 4:55 p.m. on July 29.

When deputies arrived, they found Bradford suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to a local hospital, where she later died.

The Sheriff’s Office said all individuals involved remained at the scene when deputies arrived and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.

Arrest Announced

On Friday, investigators announced Mitchell’s arrest on a charge of Tampering With or Fabricating Physical Evidence.

Authorities have not released details explaining what evidence was allegedly tampered with or whether additional arrests or charges are anticipated.

Investigation Continues

Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Bradford’s death.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has not released information regarding a possible motive, the events leading up to the shooting, or whether the incident may have been accidental or intentional.

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office or Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477). Anonymous tips may be eligible for a reward.

What We Know

  • Victim: Skyler Ley’Shea Bradford, 17
  • Incident Date: July 29, 2026
  • Time: Approximately 4:55 p.m.
  • Location: 5500 block of Old Cheney Highway, Orange County
  • Arrest: Jehovah Jeremiah Mitchell, 19
  • Charge: Tampering With or Fabricating Physical Evidence
  • Investigation Status: Active and ongoing
  • Community Threat: None identified by investigators

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Florida

Alex Vindman Calls on Ashley Moody to Support Release of Hope Florida Grand Jury Report

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alex Vindman renewed criticism of U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody this week, calling on her to publicly support the release of the confidential Hope Florida grand jury report as questions surrounding the state’s controversial Medicaid settlement continue to draw statewide attention.

Vindman made the remarks during a Thursday news conference at the Florida Capitol alongside supporters, including a registered Republican, arguing that Florida voters deserve greater transparency regarding the Hope Florida investigation.

Vindman Launches New Campaign Website

The Vindman campaign also unveiled a new campaign website, MoodyCorruption.com, highlighting Moody’s role in the Hope Florida controversy and encouraging voters to contact public officials in support of releasing the grand jury report.

The campaign said the website was launched following recent reporting by the Miami Herald examining additional connections between Moody’s Senate campaign and the Hope Florida controversy.

Focus on Attorney General’s Role

Vindman criticized Moody’s actions while she served as Florida attorney general, pointing to the Attorney General’s Office’s approval of a $10 million Medicaid settlement transfer that later became the focus of legislative and criminal scrutiny.

According to public reporting, the settlement funds originated from a Medicaid agreement involving Centene Corp. before money was later directed through the Hope Florida Foundation and subsequently distributed to nonprofit organizations that later contributed to political committees. Investigations into the transactions have generated legislative hearings, public records litigation and criminal inquiries.

Vindman argued that the public deserves to know what conclusions, if any, a statewide grand jury reached during its investigation.

“If she has nothing to hide, she should go ahead and call for this release,” Vindman told reporters.

Grand Jury Report Remains Sealed

A central issue in the controversy is whether the final statewide grand jury report should remain confidential.

Court records indicate objections have been filed seeking to prevent or delay public release of the report. The identities of those objecting have not been publicly confirmed through court filings.

A judge is expected to determine whether the report, or portions of it, should become public.

Media Coverage Highlights

Vindman’s news conference received statewide media coverage.

WFSU reported that Vindman focused on CBS News reporting concerning Moody’s role in approving the original settlement agreement while serving as attorney general.

WUSF reported Vindman argued voters should consider the controversy as they evaluate candidates in Florida’s 2026 U.S. Senate race.

CBS Miami highlighted Vindman’s challenge for Moody to publicly support releasing the grand jury findings.

WFLA News Channel 8 reported Moody had been scheduled for an interview but that her campaign later requested to reschedule.

ABC 20 reported ongoing litigation surrounding the confidential grand jury report while covering Vindman’s criticism of Moody.

Spectrum News noted Democrats continue pressing for disclosure of the report, citing public records showing the Attorney General’s Office approved the initial transfer that later became the subject of controversy.

Moody Has Not Publicly Called for Release

As of Friday, Moody had not publicly announced support for releasing the confidential grand jury report.

The report remains under court review, and no final judicial decision has been issued regarding whether it will be released.

Why the Report Matters

Supporters of disclosure argue the public has a right to understand how taxpayer-related Medicaid settlement funds were handled and whether investigators identified misconduct or recommended reforms.

Those opposing disclosure contend grand jury secrecy protects ongoing legal interests and confidential proceedings until a court determines what may legally be released.

The court’s decision could significantly shape public understanding of one of Florida’s highest-profile political controversies as the 2026 U.S. Senate campaign continues.

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