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Seven key takeaways from the Russian indictments

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The indictments from Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigations were unexpected

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has dropped another Friday blockbuster with his sweeping indictment of three organisations and 13 Russian nationals for meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

For the first time the special counsel’s team has taken dead aim at its central mandate in the investigation and laid bare the scope of what it alleges was a multi-million-dollar Russian operation to sow discord in American politics as far back as 2014.

Here’s a look at some of the key passages of the 37-page indictment and what they mean.

Media captionRussians recruited ‘real Americans’ as part of ‘information warfare’

No knowledge, no collusion

“Some defendants, posing as US persons and without revealing their Russian association, communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump campaign and with other political activists to seek to co-ordinate political activities.“

This is the key passage for the White House’s effort to downplay the threat this indictment poses to Donald Trump and his presidency.

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A congressional committee earlier questioned Facebook and Twitter about attempts by Russian operatives to spread disinformation

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in announcing the indictments, added that there was “no allegation in this indictment that any American had knowledge” of Russian activity.

Critics will highlight the “in this indictment” portion of that statement. While Mr Mueller’s document asserts no Trump-connected individuals knew they were dealing with Russians, this isn’t the end of the investigation.

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The president, via Twitter and in a White House statement, insists this is proof that there was no collusion. It’s better to say that there’s no collusion alleged here. That certainly bolsters the White House’s principal argument, but it doesn’t cover any possible indictments to come. What this indictment, if it is substantiated, does do is devastate Mr Trump’s past insistence that allegations of Russian meddling were a hoax.

It wasn’t just Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

“They engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump.“

The indictment paints a picture of a multi-year, multi-prong effort to “sow discord” in the US political process dating back to 2014, before Mr Trump entered the presidential race.

The Russians, according to Mr Mueller’s team, familiarised themselves with the US political process and then took action to support – or undermine – a variety of political candidates. They allegedly attacked several of Mr Trump’s rivals in the Republican primary and backed Bernie Sanders, who mounted a populist challenge to Mrs Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

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Ted Cruz was one of the candidates Russians allegedly tried to disparage

They also used social media, investigators say, to rally support for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the general election, including an Instagram account that told black liberal activists to “choose peace and vote for Jill Stein” and that it wasn’t “a wasted vote”.

In several key Mid-western states, the number of Stein votes was greater than Mr Trump’s margin of victory over Mrs Clinton.

A cloak and dagger operation

“Krylova and Bogacheva, together with other Defendants and co-conspirators, planned travel itineraries, purchased equipment (such as cameras, SIM cards and drop phones) and discussed security measures (including “evacuation scenarios”) for Defendants who travelled to the United States.“

One of the more breathtaking revelations of the indictment was that Russian attempts to influence the US presidential election went well beyond “virtual” efforts on social media. It included actual Russian nationals entering the US under false pretences and posing as Americans to conduct clandestine activities, according to the document.

It’s the kind of espionage activity that harkens back to the Cold War and an indication of the seriousness and sophistication behind the Russian efforts.

Crimes were committed

“Defendants, together with others known and unknown to the grand jury, knowingly and intentionally conspired to defraud the United States by impairing, obstructing and defeating the lawful functions of the Federal Election Commission, the US Department of Justice and the US Department of State in administering federal requirements for disclosure of foreign involvement in certain domestic activities.“

There had been a line of argument from some Donald Trump supporters that Russian meddling efforts, even if proven, wouldn’t constitute a criminal offence and a connection between Russia and the Trump campaign, if established, wouldn’t be a fatal blow.

Mr Mueller’s indictment lays out a number of ways in which what Russia is alleged to have done constitutes actual violations of criminal statutes – including wire fraud, identity theft and violations of election law.

It seems unlikely in the extreme that any of the individuals named in this indictment will end up facing any trial in the US. The Russian government has already said that the allegations are “absurd”. That is probably not the point. This all matters because it establishes that any Americans who had knowledge of the Russian activity participated in a criminal endeavour and consequently could be vulnerable to prosecution.

No Americans have been named, of course, the investigation isn’t over yet.

A targeted effort

“Defendants and their co-conspirators, posing as US persons, communicated with a real US person affiliated with a Texas-based grassroots organisation. Defendants and their co-conspirators learned from the real US person that they should focus their activities on “purple states like Colorado, Virginia Florida.”

This is another of the more remarkable revelations of the extent to which Russian nationals tried to gather information about US electoral process and strategy as part of their alleged attempts to influence the US presidential race.

They contacted actual US political experts, who directed them to target key states in the Electoral College – including Virginia, Colorado and Florida.

It appears, from the indictment, that the Russians paid particular attention to Florida, which Mr Trump would eventually win by a 1.2% margin (Mrs Clinton carried the other two states mentioned).

Real people, real rallies

“Defendants and their co-conspirators updated an internal organization list of over 100 real US persons contacted through organization-controlled false US persona accounts and tracked to monitor recruitment efforts and requests.“

Up until now, much of the attention on Russian election meddling had been focused on their social media efforts – fake Twitter accounts, Facebook adverts and the like. The indictment, however, details much more.

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Among the things allegedly paid for by the Russian operatives: People dressing up as an imprisoned Hillary Clinton (not this one)

Hundreds of Americans were allegedly contacted and recruited to support pro-Trump efforts. Individuals were paid to attend Trump events, including one who went to several dressed like Mrs Clinton in prison garb, investigators say. They even allegedly ordered the construction of a mock cage for the Clinton impersonator that could be transported on the back of a flatbed truck.

Rallies themselves were organised and promoted. A Florida-based grassroots activist was allegedly wired money to purchase materials for a Miami event.

All in all, Russian operatives were effectively engaging in – and funding – traditional on-the-ground campaign activities. Mr Trump has asserted that the “results of the election were not impacted”.

While it’s impossible to tell whether Russia’s alleged multi-million-dollar effort tipped the balance to the Republican, it’s much more difficult to say it had no effect whatsoever.

It didn’t end on election day

“After the election of Donald Trump in or around November 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators used false US personas to organise and co-ordinate US political rallies in support of then president-elect Trump, while simultaneously using other false U.S. personas to organise and co-ordinate US political rallies protesting the results of the 2016 US presidential election.“

If the real point of the alleged Russian meddling was to “sow discord” in the US political system, those efforts wouldn’t conclude upon Mr Trump’s election – and, according to the indictment, they didn’t.

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After the election, protesters clashed over the Donald Trump’s impending presidency

In the days after the election, Russians were playing both sides against each other – encouraging rallies both for and against Mr Trump.

The president’s supporters have cited this as evidence that the Russians were as interested in undermining their man as much as helping him – although that’s undermined by actual communications Mr Mueller cites in the indictment, in which “specialists” were told the organisation supported Mr Trump and Mr Sanders.

What the post-election rallies demonstrate, however, is that the Russian efforts haven’t ended. US intelligence officials, in testimony before Congress earlier this week said essentially the same thing – that the Russians, undeterred, will seek to continue to foment chaos in the days ahead, including during the 2018 US congressional midterm elections.

The question, then, is what the US does – or does not do – to prepare and respond.

Loch Raven High student arrested after bringing pellet gun to school, Baltimore County police say

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A 14-year-old Loch Raven High School student was arrested Thursday after Baltimore County police said he brought a pellet gun to school.

The incident, which came a day after a school shooting in Florida that left 17 dead, sent Loch Raven students hiding in their classrooms and their parents racing to the school for answers. The school was placed on lockdown as police searched the building.

No one was injured.

The student, whose name has not been released, had shown the pellet gun to another student, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz told reporters gathered near the school.

Trump’s Inauguration: Record Spending Leaves Little For Charities

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More than a year after President Trump was sworn in, his inaugural committee said in tax filings that it raised nearly $107 million and spent almost all of the money.

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More than a year after President Trump was sworn in, his inaugural committee said in tax filings that it raised nearly $107 million and spent almost all of the money.

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Updated Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. ET

President Trump’s inaugural committee raised twice as much as any of its predecessors, but its final filing with the IRS shows it spent most of the money on events that were significantly scaled back from past years.

The Trump committee raised $106.8 million, roughly twice as much as President Barack Obama’s 2009 committee. Insiders suggested substantial gifts to charity with the unspent funds. Thomas Barrack, a Trump ally and president of the inaugural committee, told the Daily Beast last fall that the IRS filing “will show that millions of dollars of reserve funds will be allocated to various charities, institutions, and foundations in an amount that will surely exceed any previous inauguration.”

The filing doesn’t exactly show that.

The committee gave $1 million each to the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Samaritan’s Purse in 2017. The filing shows three more contributions: $1 million to the White House Historical Association, $750,000 to the Vice President’s Residence Foundation and $250,000 to the Smithsonian Institution. Total contributions: $5 million.

That leaves about $2.7 million in the committee’s accounts. After final expenses are paid, Barrack said, remaining funds will go to “charities of similar stature and quality.”

Unlike campaign committees, inaugural committees are not required to give a detailed accounting of where their money goes.

One spending item drew immediate attention from watchdog groups. WIS Media Partners, a firm incorporated shortly after Trump was elected, was paid $25.8 million — more than any other vendor — for “event production services.” The New York Times reported WIS was created by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a friend of first lady Melania Trump, and Wolkoff herself was paid $1.62 million for her inaugural work. The Times said Wolkoff is also an unpaid adviser to the first lady.

“Mrs. Trump had no involvement with the [presidential inauguration committee], and had no knowledge of how funds were spent,” said Melania Trump’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham. “Stephanie Winston Wolkoff is a contracted volunteer with the Office of the First Lady and has specified duties as outlined in her contract.”

Public Citizen, a liberal watchdog group, and the lawyers’ group Campaign Legal Center both pounced on the filing as proof that inaugural committees need better disclosure. Craig Holman of Public Citizen said the filing showed fiscal mismanagement, adding that it’s “no wonder” the inaugural committee didn’t make voluntary disclosures.

A representative of Barrack didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Trump struggles with consoler-in-chief role

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Being the consoler-in-chief requires empathy and the trust of the nation.

Thursday morning at the White House, in the wake of a rampage that left 17 people dead at a Florida high school, President Donald Trump offered a deliberate but emotionless reading of a carefully written speech that lacked any of the typical flourishes of words he’s written himself. He went through the motions, talking about being “joined together in the American family” and addressing scared children, telling them there are people “who will do anything at all” to keep them safe.

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But Trump didn’t appear to group himself among those people, instead suggesting kids turn to teachers, family, police or faith leaders.

“It is not enough to simply take actions that make us feel like we are making a difference. We must actually make that difference,” Trump said.

He said he planned to meet with governors and attorneys general later in the month to discuss ways to keep schools safe but he didn’t make any effort to suggest what the call to action would be, prompting the Democratic Attorneys General Association to issue a statement saying, “We don’t know what the president’s plans are.”

He didn’t mention the word guns.

The overall effect was dutiful, and unmemorable—with nothing like the searing moment of President Barack Obama wiping his eyes at the White House briefing room lectern as he talked about the murder of schoolchildren in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.

He talked about grief, but showed no sign of it himself.

Trump said he’d visit the families of victims, and canceled an event scheduled for Friday in Orlando—but is still set to spend the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort, 40 miles north of Parkland, where the shooting took place.

“It’s always important for the president to demonstrate he is emotionally connected to America and its problems, and it is critically important for the president to discuss what is happening and show great concerns for victims and community,” said Andy Card, who was chief of staff to President George W. Bush during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and through many ups and downs in the years after.

Card said he hadn’t seen Trump’s Parkland remarks, but he’d read them, and said they looked good on the page. “We’re all saying we always want him to be careful with his words, and I thought the words that were written were appropriate words and demonstrated sincere concern and angst,” Card said.

But they fell flat on the delivery. Time after time, Trump has effectively demonstrated only one public emotion—rage. Trump rarely seems to get revved up about anything that doesn’t directly involve him.

His genius for going right at guts and grievances is the essence of his political appeal, but the absence of efforts to reach beyond his base has defined his presidency—and contributed to historically low poll numbers for his first year.

“He’s Trump. I don’t think he has a lot of empathy,” said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

Wednesday afternoon and into the evening, as the news of the shooting poured in, advisers pushed Trump to make a statement. As with similar encouragement to condemn former staff secretary and alleged serial wife-beater Rob Porter, Trump resisted.

Instead Trump, who’s defined much of his presidency by doing the opposite of Obama, found himself outdone on the consoler front by his predecessor, who weighed in on Twitter about an hour after Trump finished speaking.

“We are grieving with Parkland,” Obama wrote. “But we are not powerless. Caring for our kids is our first job. And until we can honestly say that we’re doing enough to keep them safe from harm, including long overdue, common-sense gun safety laws that most Americans want, then we have to change.”

The Parkland shooting was one of several since the start of 2018, and one of dozens since Trump’s inauguration.

There are only two other mass shootings that Trump has previously made speeches about.

One was the attack last summer at a Republican baseball practice, during which he declared, “We may have our differences, but we do well, in times like these, to remember that everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country,” just days before he began again accusing Democrats of destroying the country. The other was the shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas, which he called “an act of pure evil.”

Though people who have spent time with Trump in private moments say he’s engaged and eager to help—“He was really caring,” Puerto Rico Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, who flew with Trump to the island after Hurricane Maria, told POLITICO’s Off Message podcast—his public appearances have reflected little warmth. His most memorable exchange on the Puerto Rico trip involved tossing paper towel rolls into a crowd of needy people; that came after he made a post-hurricane trip to Texas and chose not to meet any storm survivors.

In the hours after the Las Vegas massacre, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said when pressed on gun regulations: “I think that’s something we can talk about in the coming days and see what that looks like moving forward.”

There’s been no such discussion in the 4½ months since, and there’s been no accounting from Sanders or others in the White House about why not.

A year ago, Trump signed a bill repealing a rule the Obama administration put in place after Sandy Hook that prevented people receiving Social Security benefits for mental disabilities from purchasing guns.

On Thursday, hours before his public remarks, he tweeted that “neighbors and classmates” should have reported the shooter earlier—while his son Donald Trump Jr. stoked the flames of anti-deep state fervor within the Trump base, liking a tweet from Townhall columnist Kurt Schlichter that said: “the FBI was too busy trying to undermine the president to bother with doing it’s [sic] freaking job” and track the shooter’s threats online.

Aside from a presidential proclamation lowering flags to half mast, neither he nor anyone else at the White House said anything more about the shooting after his remarks, even after the leader of a white nationalist group in Florida said the shooter had trained with its members, or after CBS News verified an Instagram account belonging to the shooter in which he set a profile picture of himself wearing a red Make America Great Again hat.

Others revisited their familiar scripts. Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a press conference near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Thursday morning that he wants to have “a real conversation” with leaders in Tallahassee about “how do we make sure” parents know they can send their children to school safely, and how to keep guns away from people with mental illness.

The Florida Senate on Thursday afternoon postponed a pre-scheduled committee hearing on a bill to loosen background checks for gun purchases.

Capt. Mark Kelly, the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) and the co-founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions, said in a call with reporters on Thursday afternoon that watching Trump’s speech, he heard “a lot of words about mourning and grieving and prayers and a lot of other superlatives.”

Kelly added: “I think it really came from the heart that an incident like this would sadden somebody in his position. But I think what was left out was any suggestion of what would be an effective course of action here besides just, say, a visit to Florida.”

Heather Caygle and Nancy Cook contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: After an editing error, this article has been updated to correct the spelling of Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon’s name, and that of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux Split ‘Lovingly’ After Two Years of Marriage

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Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux have split after two and a half years of marriage — and seven years as a couple, the Associated Press reports.

The former couple “say their split was ‘mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year,’ ” according to AP. 

“Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly,” says the statement released by longtime Aniston publicist Stephen Huvane. “Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”

The couple announced that they split at the end of the last year, however, they celebrated the New Year together with their annual vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico alongside a handful of close pals including Jason Bateman and his family.

The two spent quite a bit of time apart in recent months raising questions. Theroux was often spotted in New York City away from their L.A. home. They have also had a busy year as Aniston signed on with Reese Witherspoon for a new Apple TV series and filmed Dumplin’ in Atlanta, while Theroux, 46, filmed the comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me in Budapest.

On Saturday, Aniston made an appearance at Ellen DeGeneres‘ birthday party without Theroux. She was spotted standing outside the Hollywood venue chatting with Pharrell.

The next day, the actress rang in her 49th birthday without the actor. Aniston celebrated in Malibu, California with a gathering including pals Courteney Cox, Andrea Bendewald, Leigh Kilton-Smith and Kristin Hahn on Sunday.

Theroux, meanwhile, was spotted out in New York City on Friday walking his dog. (Last year, the duo vacationed together in Los Cabos, Mexico with friends).

Sources recently told PEOPLE that their busy schedules worked for both of them and helped their marriage.

“Justin often spends a few days in NYC by himself,” a source previously told PEOPLE. “When he is in NYC, Jen will catch up with friends and enjoys her own life. When Justin is in L.A., it’s very special for them. They socialize together with friends. They often go out to dinner or have people over.”

Aniston showed off the $21 million L.A. home they designed together in the March issue of Architectural Digest, saying, “I look around at my husband and my dogs and our home, and there’s nowhere else I want to be.”

Aniston and Theroux first met on the Hawaii set of 2008’s Tropic Thunder and began dating in 2011. They later married in a surprise and secret ceremony on August 5, 2015 — just a few days before Theroux’s 44th birthday. A source close to the actress told PEOPLE at the time that the two were happy to have pulled off the surprise wedding, inviting friends to a backyard party under the ruse of celebrating Theroux’s birthday.

RELATED: Jennifer Aniston’s Designer Stephen Shadley Interview

 

“They seemed ecstatic,” the source said. “They celebrated late and barely slept, but they were in the best mood. They were giddy to have pulled off an amazing wedding celebration with their friends. And they were proud to finally be married.”

Aniston was previously married to Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005 after starting their relationship in 1998. She later dated Vince Vaughn and John Mayer after her divorce from Pitt.

This is Theroux’s first marriage after previously dating hair stylist Heidi Bivens for 14 years before their breakup in 2011, shortly before he started dating Aniston. Theroux and Bivens shared an apartment in New York City before the split.

Suspect Allegedly Confessed To Fla. School Shootings That Killed 17

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Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie speaks at a news conference Thursday, as county Mayor Beam Furr (from left), Broward Sheriff Scott Israel, Gov. Rick Scott and FBI agent Robert Lasky look on.

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Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie speaks at a news conference Thursday, as county Mayor Beam Furr (from left), Broward Sheriff Scott Israel, Gov. Rick Scott and FBI agent Robert Lasky look on.

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Updated at 7 p.m. ET

Court documents say the suspect in the shootings at a South Florida high school has confessed to investigators. Nikolas Cruz, 19, has been booked on 17 charges of premeditated murder at Broward County’s Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

According to a court filing, “In a post-Miranda statement, Cruz stated that he was the gunman who entered the school campus armed with a AR-15 and began shooting students he saw in the hallways and on the school grounds. Cruz stated that he brought additional loaded magazines to the school campus and kept them hidden in a back pack until he got on campus to begin his assault.”

Cruz made his court appearance less than a day after the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, which killed at least 17 people and wounded 15 more.

Cruz allegedly fired on unarmed students and teachers at the high school in Parkland, Fla., which had expelled him for disciplinary reasons.

In a late-afternoon news conference, Broward Sheriff Scott Israel gave a timeline of Wednesday’s events. He said that the shooter arrived at the school at 2:19 p.m., and that within two minutes, he began firing into several classrooms. After conducting attacks on the first and second floors, the shooter dropped his rifle on the third floor and ran away by mixing in among the crowd of students fleeing the scene.

Israel said the gunman visited a nearby Walmart and McDonald’s before he was apprehended without incident.

Within an hour, Cruz was in custody, captured by law enforcement off campus.

The sheriff said the shooter arrived at the school by an Uber car, but he said the driver isn’t suspected of being complicit in the shooting.

Peter Forcelli, the special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said that the rifle used in the shooting was legally purchased about a year ago by the shooter.

SWAT teams were on the scene soon after the shooting began, evacuating students from the building. After Cruz was arrested away from the school’s premises, he was taken to a hospital for treatment before being released to police custody.

He faced a judge in court briefly Thursday, and bond was denied.

Suspect Nikolas Cruz, 19, is escorted by law enforcement at the Broward County jail in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Thursday.

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Suspect Nikolas Cruz, 19, is escorted by law enforcement at the Broward County jail in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Thursday.

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Parents and classmates are left to cope with the aftermath.

“No child, no teacher, should ever be in danger in an American school,” President Trump said in a televised speech to the country Thursday morning. “No parent should ever have to fear for their sons and daughters when they kiss them goodbye in the morning.”

“Law enforcement will do everything we can — the FBI, ourselves — to make sure that this person is convicted of all charges and that justice is served,” Israel said Thursday.

Authorities said Cruz began the attack outdoors toward the end of the school day, just as the school’s some 3,200 students were leaving their classrooms.

“This particular individual came onto campus at the time of dismissal,” Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie told reporters, “and that is a fairly open time for the campus.”

The shooter then worked his way indoors using using an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and what Israel described as “countless magazines,” smoke grenades and a gas mask. Then, the fire alarm sounded — which “seemed odd,” NPR’s Greg Allen reports, “because there had already been a fire alarm that day.”

Greg explains what happened next:

“Soon teachers and students got the word: It was a code red. There was an active shooter in the school. In some classrooms, teachers made sure their doors were locked, lights turned off and students hidden in closets or under the desks.

“But thinking it was a drill, one student interviewed on television says her teacher led them out of the classroom before recognizing the danger. As he got them back into the classroom, she said he was shot and killed.”

“It was pretty chaotic, to be honest,” Broward County Mayor Beam Furr told Morning Edition on Thursday. “There were policemen from every one of our cities — we have 31 cities in Broward County, and I believe every force from the county was there. And as I arrived [yesterday] the kids were coming out, and the parents were beside themselves hoping to see their kids.”

The wounded were taken to three hospitals in the area. Representatives of two of those hospitals, speaking at Thursday’s news conference, said five patients remained in their care at midday.

Among the 17 victims were the school’s athletic director, Chris Hixon, and assistant football coach Aaron Feis. The Douglas football program tweeted that Feis, who was an alumnus of the school, “selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot.”

“He died a hero,” the team said, “and he will forever be in our hearts and memories.”

Authorities say they have notified the victims’ families.

Furr is not only the mayor of the county, but he also worked as a teacher in the local school district. He said the rampage Wednesday called to mind some of the kids he had taught in the classroom.

“You keep your eyes on those kids who become disconnected — you know, they’re out on the fringes. And as a teacher, you try to bring them into the fold, so to speak, in one way or another,” he said. “It’s part of our mission to make sure that kids become part of the overall community — and when one gets away, it’s just sad.”

Accounts from some of the school’s teachers and parents have revealed a record of troubled behavior from Cruz, including at least one incident of bullying, a fixation on firearms, and actions that had so alarmed faculty that, a former math teacher of Cruz said, staff had been warned not to allow him back on campus. Furr also told Morning Edition that the suspect had been a client at mental health facilities and had been expelled from the high school for disciplinary reasons.

A screenshot provided by Ben Bennight, showing the message he said he sent to the FBI about the YouTube comment.

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Courtesy of Ben Bennight

Still, it remains unclear how many red flags authorities saw.

“In 2017, the FBI received information about a comment made on a YouTube channel,” Robert Lasky, FBI special agent in charge, noted at the news conference. “The comment simply said, ‘I’m going to be a professional school shooter.’ “

“Who would leave a comment like that?” said Ben Bennight, a bail bondsman in Mississippi, who told NPR that the comment was left on a YouTube video he had posted about the bail bond industry. He says he alerted the FBI, and agents later came to his office to ask him about it, though he had little information to offer because he “didn’t know anything about the individual.”

“I didn’t hear anything else about it until yesterday, when they called and asked to meet with me,” Bennight said.

“No other information was included with that comment which would indicate a time, location or the true identity of the person who made the comment,” Lasky said at the news conference. “The FBI conducted database reviews, checks, but was unable to further identify the person who actually made comment.”

Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott told reporters that the chief focus among officials is having “a real conversation” about both school safety and mental illness in the community.

“If somebody is mentally ill,” Scott said, “he should not have access to a gun.”

Runcie echoed Scott about supporting and treating the mentally ill and went a step further, saying, “Now is the time for this country to have a real conversation on sensible gun control laws.”

Trump, for his part, did not mention guns or many specifics in his televised speech — but he said authorities plan to tackle issues surrounding mental health. He said he plans to travel to Parkland to meet with families and speak with local officials about how to better secure schools.

He said the country “grieves with those who have lost loved ones in the shooting,” in a statement released earlier Thursday. He also proclaimed that the American flag be flown at half-staff at the White House and public buildings throughout the U.S.

“We will take such action as we’re able to take. We’ve got to reverse these trends we’re seeing in these shootings,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions told the Major County Sheriffs of America conference on Thursday.

“You and I know that we cannot arrest everybody that somebody thinks is dangerous,” he added. “But I think we can and we must do better. We owe it to every one of those kids crying outside their school yesterday and those who never made it out of their school.”

Students have planned a vigil Thursday for their fallen classmates and for the wounded still fighting for their lives.

Stormy Daniels ‘free to tell her story’ after Trump lawyer statement

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The newspaper says Mr Cohen declined to answer why the “private transaction” was made

An adult film star who has been embroiled in allegations of an affair with President Donald Trump is free to tell her story, her manager has said.

Stormy Daniels is no longer bound by a non-disclosure contract after Mr Trump’s lawyer admitted he paid her, manager Gina Rodriguez says.

Mr Trump’s personal lawyer confirmed in a statement to media he privately paid Ms Daniels $130,000 (£95,000) in 2016.

Ms Rodriguez says that acknowledgement allows her client to speak freely.

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Porn actress Stormy Daniels alleged in 2011 that she had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006

“Everything is off now, and Stormy is going to tell her story,” Ms Rodriguez told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

Her statement comes after Trump lawyer Michael Cohen told the New York Times he paid Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

“Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly,” Mr Cohen told the New York Times.

He said he told the Federal Election Commission the same after a watchdog group filed a complaint about the payment, claiming that it had served as an “in-kind” political contribution to Mr Trump’s campaign.

An X-rated cover-up?

Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC Washington

Donald Trump’s lawyer and all-around fixer Michael Cohen has said he doesn’t plan “further comment” on his six-figure payment to Stormy Daniels. His statements, however, raise more questions than they answer.

While he said the money came from his “personal funds” and was not reimbursed directly or indirectly by the Trump Organization or the Trump campaign, that leaves open the possibility that he was compensated by other parties – including Mr Trump himself.

Why, in his generosity, would Mr Cohen give $130,000 to Ms Daniels? The Wall Street Journal has reported that it was in exchange for a non-disclosure agreement about a decade-old affair between Mr Trump and Ms Daniels. Circumstantial evidence – that Ms Daniels had been in contact with media outlets prior to the transfer and has since gone silent – lends credence to this line.

Even though the alleged affair is long since past, a story about possible hush money and an attempted cover-up just weeks before the presidential election is much more dangerous for a White House already on its heels. And if it turns out there’s more to the money trail than has been disclosed, an embarrassing situation could quickly morph into a criminal inquiry.

“The payment to Ms Clifford was lawful, and was not a campaign contribution or a campaign expenditure by anyone,” Mr Cohen said.

The lawyer has previously said Mr Trump “vehemently denies” it occurred.

The revelations on Wednesday follow US media reports that the porn actress known as Ms Daniels was paid to sign an agreement stopping her discussing an alleged affair.

She first said she had a relationship with Mr Trump in a 2011 interview.

In a 2011 interview with InTouch magazine, the actress said she began a sexual relationship with Mr Trump in 2006, shortly after Melania Trump gave birth to his son Barron.

The reports re-emerged in January when the Wall Street Journal reported that she was paid to sign a non-disclosure agreement in the run up to the 2016 election, which prevented her from discussing the alleged liaison.

Ms Clifford was believed to be in discussion with US media about an television appearance to discuss Mr Trump at the time, the report said.

Responding to questions from CNN about why the payment was made, Mr Cohen said: “Just because something isn’t true doesn’t mean that it can’t cause you harm or damage.”

“I will always protect Mr Trump,” Mr Cohen added.

On 30 January, Ms Daniels’ publicist released a statement in her name denying having an affair with Mr Trump.

But many – including Ms Daniels herself – were quick to note that the signature attached to that denial did not bear much resemblance to another copy of her autograph which had been attached to an earlier statement.

That denial had been released by Mr Cohen on 10 January.

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Ms Daniels hosted a Super Bowl party last month

She has since made several public appearances on television and at strip clubs, but has remained tight-lipped when asked directly about Mr Trump in interviews.

Minutes after Mr Trump’s first formal State of the Union address to Congress, she gave an interview to late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

In it, she refused to directly answer whether she had signed a non-disclosure agreement, or if she had “ever made love to someone whose name rhymes with Lonald Lump”.

Dem poll: Trump favorability improves, GOP gains on generic House ballot

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President TrumpDonald John TrumpTillerson: Russia already looking to interfere in 2018 midterms Dems pick up deep-red legislative seat in Missouri Speier on Trump’s desire for military parade: ‘We have a Napoleon in the making’ MORE’s approval rating is up and Republicans are within 4 points of Democrats on a generic House ballot, according to a new survey from the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA.

In a memo sent out Tuesday, the group warned Democrats that they must remain focused on health care and the economy and not to become distracted by Trump’s tweets or the day-to-day controversies that drive the news cycle.

“In the last few weeks, Democrats turned their attention to other issues while Trump has continued to promote his economic policies, and Trump’s numbers have incrementally improved as a result,” the memo states.

“While still on track for a successful November, the extent of Democratic gains will be blunted if Democrats do not reengage more aggressively in speaking to the economic and health care priorities of voters.”

The survey found Trump’s job approval at 44 percent positive and 53 percent negative, up from a 40-54 split in November. That is in line with other recent polling, which has showed the president’s approval rating ticking up from the historic lows it hit in late 2017.

A Politico–Morning Consult survey released Wednesday found that Trump is at an even 47 positive and 47 negative. That is more positive than most other surveys. According to the RealClearPolitics average, the president is at 41.4 positive and 53.9 negative.

The Priorities USA survey also found Democrats with an advantage, 46 percent to 42 percent, in the generic ballot for the House. Surveys conducted in late 2017 consistently found Democrats with a double-digit lead in the generic ballot, leading many election analysts to speculate that Democrats are headed for a wave election.

Still, the Priorities USA memo said the underlying fundamentals lean heavily in favor of Democrats.

Among undecided voters, Trump’s approval rating is at 35 percent positive and 50 percent negative. Fifty-one percent of voters said they’d prefer to see Democrats elected to act as a check on Trump’s power, compared to only 39 percent who said they’d prefer to see Republicans elected.

“The leanings of undecided voters and the preference for more Democrats to be a check on Trump both show that Trump is a lead weight for Republicans,” the memo states.

The party in power historically loses seats in midterm elections, and a string of retirements have left Republicans defending more seats in the House than they anticipated this year. And Democrats believe they will have an advantage in enthusiasm heading into November.

The Priorities memo found that among voters who are very excited to vote in the 2018 elections, the Democratic advantage on the generic ballot spikes to 11 points, 51 to 40. Seventy-eight percent of those who voted for Democratic nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonTrump touts report Warner attempted to talk to dossier author Poll: Nearly half of Iowans wouldn’t vote for Trump in 2020 Rubio on Warner contact with Russian lobbyist: It’s ‘had zero impact on our work’ MORE in 2016 say they’re excited to vote this year, compared to only 64 percent of those who voted for Trump.

Still, the memo warns that Democrats need to stay focused on their economic message, not on running exclusively against Trump.

The survey found that attacking the GOP tax bill as a giveaway to the rich and powerful is a winning message, as strong majorities believe large corporations and the wealthy will benefit more than individuals.

“Democrats continue to have winning messages on health care and the economy, but right now voters are not hearing them. That must change,” the memo states.

“When voters have heard messages from both Democrats and Republicans on the tax bill, Democrats have won. Unfortunately, that debate has been relatively one-sided recently and voters have not heard nearly as much from Democrats. While Republican gains have not been enough to counter the extraordinary political environment for Democrats, it is imperative that Democrats return to focusing on the economic message and counter the narrative being pushed by the White House, Republicans in Congress and their special interest backers.”

The Priorities USA survey of 1,001 presidential year voters was conducted Feb. 2–7 by Garin-Hart-Yang and the Global Strategy Group and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

With White House Under Fire, Trump Says He Is ‘Totally Opposed To Domestic Violence’

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President Trump speaks in the Oval Office Wednesday during a working session regarding the opportunity zones provided by the new tax law.

Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP


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President Trump speaks in the Oval Office Wednesday during a working session regarding the opportunity zones provided by the new tax law.

Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

A week after allegations of domestic abuse against a now-former top aide ensnared the White House in scandal, President Trump condemned domestic violence Wednesday.

“I am totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind, and everybody here knows that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a photo op for an event related to the recently enacted tax law. “I’m totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind. Everyone knows that. And it almost wouldn’t even have to be said. So, now you hear it, but you all know.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders insisted earlier this week that Trump had been very clear in condemning domestic violence in the past, after the White House came under fire for its slow and muddled response to allegations of abuse from two ex-wives against former White House staff secretary Rob Porter.

However, following Porter’s resignation and the timeline of events that led up to it — including questions about when exactly the White House knew of the allegations of domestic violence and that such accusations had slowed down approval of his security clearance — Trump had earlier offered comments that appeared to sympathize with Porter.

Last Friday, Trump praised the work Porter had done as part of his staff, said he hoped he still had a successful career ahead of him, and pointed out to reporters that, “He says he’s innocent, and I think you have to remember that.”

Then on Saturday, Trump tweeted that “lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation.”

A second aide, White House speechwriter David Sorensen, also resigned Friday amid allegations of domestic violence. Both Porter and Sorensen have denied the allegations against them.

The president’s initial comments about Porter fall in line with Trump’s past reflexes to defend many powerful men accused of sexual misconduct, such as former Alabama GOP Senate nominee Roy Moore. Trump himself has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.

There have also been mounting questions about when the White House knew about the allegations against Porter and why it didn’t act sooner to remove him. The daily press briefing on Wednesday, where Sanders was sure to face more questions about Porter and the timeline of events, was canceled after being postponed several times.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is investigating the policies and processes surrounding the granting of interim security clearances by the executive branch and, more specifically, seeking information from the White House about the granting of an interim clearance to Porter.

“I’m troubled by almost every aspect of this,” Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., who chairs the committee, told CNN on Wednesday. “How in the hell was he still employed?”

FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before Congress on Tuesday that the FBI had wrapped up its background investigation into Porter last July, but Porter did not resign until the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, published reports about the allegations of his ex-wives, including a story that included an image of Porter’s first ex-wife with a black eye. (Porter told senior staff at the White House that the black eye had been accidental, according to a recent report by ABC News.)