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House Republicans applaud Trump’s picking Kennedy to lead HHS — with a few concerns

(WASHINGTON) -- House Republicans had mixed reactions to President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he would nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of Health and Human Services in his administration.

Kennedy has been an anti-vaccine activist and founded the Children's Health Defense, a prominent anti-vaccine nonprofit that has campaigned against immunizations and other public health measures like water fluoridation. Medical experts expressed concerns about a rise in medical misinformation through Kennedy's candidacy.

HHS oversees major health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, among others.

Rep. John Duarte, R-Calif., raised concerns about the pick, saying, "Well, all my kids are vaccinated and I hope he's not going to move against one of the most life-saving technologies in the history of the world."

Asked if Kennedy was the right choice, Duarte responded, "I don't know."

"I'd like to see more of his opinions and more of his thoughts in different matters, but the anti-vaccine mantra scares me a lot," he said.

There was no immediate reaction from senators, who would vote on Kennedy's nomination.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise didn't clearly answer a question about his reaction to the selection of Kennedy, noting only that Trump was moving "fast" with his nominations.

"Clearly President Trump is moving fast to get as many people appointed as possible. It shows he's carried through on the mandate the voters just gave him. To lay out his cabinet. To get to work," Scalise said.

Scalise evaded a question about his position on the vaccine misinformation that Kennedy has espoused: "Ultimately, President Trump's agenda…." Scalise pivoted.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, laughed when asked for an opinion, saying "It's the president's prerogative. I am not a senator."

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the news "fantastic."

"Robert's a friend now for a few years, we've been talking a lot," Roy said.

Roy said there's a need to be "disrupting the corruption" in federal health agencies, which he expects Kennedy to accomplish.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., celebrated the news: "Oh my gosh, I'm so excited."

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., called Kennedy's selection a "great pick."

"Good pick on the president's part, as all of them have been, and he'll do a good job," Norman said. "People say, 'Well, he's a Democrat.' Look, he's got an interest, he's got an interest, a passion for the medical field. He'll do a good job in it."

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-SD, took a more moderate position on the selection of Kennedy.

"I don't mind disrupting. I mean, clearly, I think sometimes these big agencies get into some group think and I think it's perfectly healthy to have some conventional wisdom challenged. Clearly, the Senate's going to want to understand what is his vision for the agency," Johnson said, adding that he wants to understand more about where Kennedy's "scientific background is."

Asked if he trusted Kennedy on public health, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. said "absolutely," adding that "I think we need to broaden our horizons a little bit."

Weekend Watchlist: What’s new on streaming

Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows streaming this weekend:

Apple TV+
Bad Sisters: We’ve been dying for it to return. Check out season 2 of the dark comedy.

Silo: The show about the last 10,000 people on Earth returns. Watch the premiere of season 2.

Hulu
Say Nothing: Follow a story of murder and memory in Northern Ireland in the new limited series.

Prime Video
Cross: Based on characters created by James Patterson, meet detective Alex Cross in the new series.

Netflix
Cobra Kai: The fight is going global. The crew faces old enemies in part 2 of season 6.

Max
Dune: Prophecy: Watch the beginnings of the Sisterhood in the new series.

That’s all for this week’s Weekend Watchlist – happy streaming!

Vance, Gaetz call senators to shore up support amid GOP concerns

(WASHINGTON) -- Vice President-elect JD Vance has been working the phones reaching out to senators trying to gauge support for former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz -- who Trump named for the attorney general role, according to three sources with knowledge of the calls.

Gaetz, who resigned from the House shortly after President-elect Donald Trump announced the pick on Thursday, has also been making calls to senators, sources said.

Vance's actions underscore that he is expected to be the "eyes and ears" for Trump in Congress, a source told ABC News.

This comes as Senate Republicans have fired off warning shots to Trump that his nominee to head up the Department of Justice faces major hurdles in his path to confirmation.

"I know he's gonna have an uphill battle," Republican Sen. Joni Ernst told reporters.

Senate Republicans can only afford to lose four votes to confirm Trump's nominees in the new Congress next year. Republicans are expected to hold 53 seats in the new Congress.

Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer said he has concerns with Gaetz's attorney general nomination and thinks the former Florida congressman likely wouldn't be confirmed if the vote took place imminently.

"There are concerns he can't get across the finish line and we're going to spend a lot of political capital -- I say 'we' -- a lot of people will spend a lot of political capital on something that even if it got done, you have to wonder if it's worth it," Cramer said.

Earlier this week, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal -- who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees the attorney general confirmation process -- told reporters that he knew of at least five to 10 senators who currently disapproved of Gaetz as the nominee.

Cramer took that estimation a step further.

"I would guess if we had to vote today on the Senate floor, it might be more than that," Cramer said.

Gaetz was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. The committee was in its final stages of its investigation, sources confirmed to ABC News.

The committee was slated to meet on Friday to discuss the status of the Gaetz report, but the chairman of the committee confirmed on Friday that the meeting had been "postponed."

Since Gaetz left his post in the House, the House Ethics Committee no longer has the jurisdiction to continue its investigation into him.

The Justice Department also spent years probing the allegations against Gaetz, including allegations of obstruction of justice, before informing Gaetz last year that it would not bring charges.

Gaetz has long denied any wrongdoing.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday he does not think the House Ethics Committee should release its report into Gaetz.

"I think it's a terrible breach of protocol and tradition and the spirit of the rules," Johnson told reporters at the U.S. Capitol.

Johnson told reporters on Friday he didn't think it was "relevant" for the public to know what's in the report.

"The rules of the house have always been that a former member is beyond the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee. And so I -- I don't think that's relevant."

Republican Sen. John Cornyn told ABC News that it's important to have access to what the House Ethics Committee has found in its investigation.

"I think there should not be any limitations on the Senate Judiciary committee's investigation, including, whatever the House Ethics Committee has generated," Cornyn said.

Cornyn said he would "absolutely" want to see the House Ethics Committee's report on Gaetz during his confirmation process.

Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin, called for the report to be released on Thursday.

"In light of Donald Trump's selection of former congressman Matt Gaetz to be attorney general, I'm calling on the House Ethics Committee to preserve and share the report and all relevant documentation on Mr. Gates with the Senate Judiciary Committee," Durbin, a Democrat, said.

On Thursday, Durbin and Senate Democrats sent a letter officially asking for the House Ethics Committee to release its report on Matt Gaetz, including all other relevant documentation.

"The sequence and timing of Mr. Gaetz's resignation from the House raises serious questions about the contents of the House Ethics Committee report and findings. We cannot allow this critical information from a bipartisan investigation into longstanding public allegations to be hidden from the American people, given that it is directly relevant to the question of whether Mr. Gaetz is qualified and fit to be the next Attorney General of the United States," the senators wrote.

Durbin noted there is "substantial" precedent to release the report.

On Friday, Durbin said Trump's various Justice Department nominees, including Gaetz and his personal attorneys, show his intention to "weaponize" the Justice Department for retribution.

"These selections show Donald Trump intends to weaponize the Justice Department to seek vengeance," Durbin said in a statement. "Donald Trump viewed the Justice Department as his personal law firm during his first term, and these selections -- his personal attorneys -- are poised to do his bidding."

The Senate's new incoming Republican leader, Sen. John Thune, told reporters that he expects the Senate Judiciary Committee to do its job and for the Senate to provide advice and consent that is required under the Constitution.

Thune and Senate Republicans now face a new challenge in the next Congress, with Trump already daring Senate Republicans to defy him. Thune was just minutes into his election victory on Wednesday when Trump announced his controversial attorney general pick in Gaetz. It quickly became apparent that nominees like Gaetz will struggle to gain majority support from the Senate.

There are already questions about Trump's other nominees, including Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services, and Pete Hegseth, the Fox News personality, who has been nominated to the top Pentagon post.

ABC News' Benjamin Siegel, Lauren Peller and Isabella Murrary contributed to this report.

‘Cross’ debuts on Prime Video Friday

Cross debuts on Prime Video Friday. Aldis Hodge stars as brilliant criminal psychologist Alex Cross, the hero from James Patterson's bestselling book series.

ABC Audio caught up with Hodge, who described how he brought his own flavor to the character, who had been previously played by Morgan Freeman in the 1997 hits Kiss the Girls and 2001's Along Came a Spider, and then by Tyler Perry in 2012's Alex Cross.

"The flavor was tied to my honest nature," Hodge said at New York Comic Con. "Every time I approach a character, it starts with: What is his 'why,' who is he as a man? And the first time I sat down with [show creator Ben Watkins] to talk about this, we didn't even talk about the character development. We talked about who we were personally, and that's what fed into who the character became."

Hodge continues, "So I don't even have to worry about who [Cross] is, I already know him. And now we just have to figure out how he approaches and figures out situations. It makes it really seamless," Hodge says.

The series centers on Cross' hunt for a sadistic serial killer. "As Alex and his partner, John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), track this killer, a mysterious threat from Cross' past appears, aiming to destroy what he's done to keep his grieving family, career, and life together," the show's synopsis teases.

Cross has already been renewed for a second season.

Maori lawmakers in New Zealand interrupt vote on controversial bill with Haka

(WELLINGTON, New Zealand) -- M?ori lawmakers interrupted a New Zealand parliamentary vote with a Haka on Thursday to protest a proposed law that critics say would erode the land and cultural rights of Indigenous New Zealanders.

When asked how her party’s representatives would vote during the session, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke of New Zealand’s M?ori party stood up and began a soaring Haka, a ceremonial M?ori dance that demonstrates pride, strength and unity through a series of intricate movements and facial expressions. She ripped a copy of the bill in half as she did the Haka.

About half of the lawmakers present, including members of the Labour and Green parties, joined in, along with members of the public seated in the gallery, their chants echoing through the chamber.

Gerry Brownlee, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, appeared to roll his eyes as the Haka began. Unable to regain control of the room, he later suspended the House and ordered the gallery to be cleared.

He suspended Maipi-Clarke for one day. Earlier in the session, he ejected veteran M?ori lawmaker Willie Jackson for yelling “Shame! Shame!” at the representative who proposed the controversial law.

The Treaty Principles Bill proposes reinterpreting the Treaty of Waitangi, an 1840 agreement guaranteeing the M?ori certain land and cultural rights in exchange for allowing the British to govern.

Critics of the bill said it will eliminate dedicated land, government seats, health care initiatives and cultural preservation efforts granted to the Maori people under the Treaty of Waitangi. Together for Te Tiriti, a group that advocates for Maori people, said the bill “clears the way for politicians and corporations to have greater control over our communities.”

David Seymour, a M?ori lawmaker who authored the Treaty Principles Bill, argued that the existing laws grant M?ori people “different rights from other New Zealanders.”

Under the Treaty of Waitangi, lawmakers set up programs to revitalize the M?ori language and tackle poor health metrics through a M?ori Health Authority.

Although the Treaty Principles Bill is unlikely to pass, leaders, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, voted for it in the first stage as part of a political coalition deal, promising they would not allow it to pass any further.

Thousands of New Zealanders marched toward Wellington on Monday to protest the Treaty Principles Bill. The protest is expected to be the biggest race relations march in the country’s history.

Mayor Eric Adams discusses immigration, RFK Jr., Trump 2nd term on ‘The View’

(NEW YORK) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited "The View" Friday to give his thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump's presidency and what it will mean for the city.

Adams said both sides of the political aisle needed to turn down the rhetoric and name-calling that has perpetuated the discourse for years. The mayor implied that the toxic rhetoric was a reason behind Trump's victory, especially in the city where the former president gained ground among the electorate.

"What you saw in this city and a city becoming redder is because we stopped talking about broken class issues," Adams said.

"They're not talking about fascism, they're talking about finance. They're not talking about Hitler, they're talking about housing," the mayor added, referencing the statements from Trump opponents that he was a fascist.

"The View" co-host Ana Navarro noted that Vice President-elect JD Vance once called Trump Hitler. Adams reiterated that everyone must tone down their rhetoric.

Adams was also asked about his opinions on Trump's controversial cabinet appointees, specifically Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been tapped to run the Department of Health and Human Services.

RFK Jr., who tried to run for president this year as a Democrat and Independent candidate before endorsing Trump, has pushed false claims about vaccine dangers and fluoride and promised to make massive cuts to health services if he is appointed by the Senate.

Adams pushed back against the fluoride claims but noted that the country needed to look at what is being put into food, which was another stance that RFK Jr. had taken in the past.

When pushed by "The View" hosts to respond to RFK Jr.'s proposals, Adams said he was confident that the people in place in the health agencies would do the right thing for the country.

"If we love our country, then no one individual should take us away from our mission," he said.

"There are experts at this, they will look at his proposals and give analysis," Adams added.

Adams said the city is prepared for various scenarios that Trump may inflict on them when it comes to his mass deportation proposal. The mayor said that New York has always welcomed immigrants and law-abiding immigrants and families will be protected, but stressed that the nation's immigration system is broken.

He said the migrant crisis cost the city billions of dollars, and no one has provided it with the means or resources to deal with the over 200,000 migrants who were shipped to the city from other states.

"I'm not allowed to let them work (legally)," he said. "I'm not allowed to get them to participate in our tax system."

In September, Adams became the first sitting New York City mayor to be indicted after federal prosecutors charged him with one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, two counts of solicitation of a contribution from a foreign national and one count of bribery.

The indictment stems from alleged gifts, including upgraded airline flights and luxury hotel stays, given by Turkish businessmen and officials in exchange for preferential treatment by the mayor.

Adams has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty. Federal investigators have probed several of his close confidants and officials over the last year, and many have resigned in the face of the ongoing investigations.

The trial against Adams is slated to begin in April.

Trump has come to Adams' defense, claiming that the mayor was unjustly charged because of his opposition to President Joe Biden's migrant policies.

Adams dodged a question about a possible Trump pardon or dismissal of his charges and maintained that he would continue to work for New Yorkers as he fights the charges.

"My job is to do what I have been doing since Jan. 1, 2022," he said.

Texas Supreme Court stops halts on future execution in Roberson case

AUSTIN – Our news partner, KETK, reports that the Texas Supreme Court denied a petition from the Texas House of Representatives on Friday and ruled that a committee subpoena can’t block a scheduled execution like Robert Roberson’s was on Oct. 17.
The Texas House of Representatives Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence had asked the court for a writ of mandamus that would stop the Texas Department of Criminal Justice from executing East Texan Robert Roberson before he could testify in person or before the start of the 89th Texas Legislature on Jan. 14, 2025.

The court has denied that request and an opinion written for the court by Texas Supreme Court Justice Evan A. Young said the following:
Continue reading Texas Supreme Court stops halts on future execution in Roberson case

David Rancken’s App of the Day 11/15/24 – Slowly!

How about combining the latest tech with old school vibes? Check out David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called Slowly. You can download Slowly in the app stores below.

1st female airman receives Silver Star for shootdown of Iranian drones

U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa commander, awards Capt. Lacie Hester, 494th Fighter Squadron F-15E weapon systems officer, with the Silver Star during a ceremony at RAF Lakenheath, Nov. 12, 2024. Senior Airman Seleena Muhammad-a/48th Fighter Wing

(WASHINGTON) -- The Air Force has awarded the Silver Star to a female airman for the first time following her role in the shootdown of more than 80 Iranian drones that were part of Iran's large missile and drone attack on Israel in mid-April.

The historic award of the nation's third-highest award for valor to a female airman comes at a time when the role of women in ground combat units has been front and center because of critical comments made by Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be the next defense secretary.

Capt. Lacie "Sonic" Hester, an F-15E instructor weapons systems officer, is the first Air Force woman to receive the Silver Star and only the 10th female service member ever to receive the award. Also receiving the Silver Star on Tuesday was her pilot, Maj. Benjamin "Irish" Coffey, for his role in coordinating the shootdowns from their two-seat fighter and then using all of their missiles and their fighter's Gatling guns to bring down some of the drones.

Tuesday's award ceremony at their home base of Royal Air Force Lakenheath in the United Kingdom honored the men and women of the 494th Fighter Squadron and the 494th Fighter Generation Squadron with two Silver Stars, six Distinguished Flying Crosses with the valor device, four Distinguished Flying Crosses with the combat device, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, seven Air and Space Commendation Medals and seven Air and Space Achievement Medals.

On the night of April 13, Iran launched more than 300 ballistic missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli missile strike in Damascus, Syria, that killed a top Iranian commander. U.S. military aircraft and naval ships helped Israel in bringing down 99% of the weapons Iran fired at Israel in the attack.

The actions by the U.S. Air Force units involved in the shootdown of about 80 Iranian drones have been described as the largest air-to-air enemy engagement by the United States in over 50 years. Soon after the attack, President Joe Biden reached out to the commanders of the two units involved, the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, to praise their units' actions.

One of those commanders was Lt. Col. Timothy "Diesel" Causey, the commander of the 494th Fighter Squadron.

"We all fell into an execution rhythm: Call, shoot, and confirm the target was destroyed before we moved on to the next task we had to accomplish to keep everyone safe," Causey said in a U.S. Air Force story about this week's ceremony.

On the night of April 13, the F-15E's from his squadron flew 14 sorties from an undisclosed base in the Middle East to shoot down the incoming drones. Patriot air defense missiles at the base were also fired to intercept the drones. Some of those fighters had to return and refuel before going back up to engage more of the drones, some of which occurred so close to that base that some of the falling debris landed on that base.

"Although intelligence provided the numbers of how many [one-way attack] drones we could expect to see, it was still surprising to see them all," Hester said in an Air Force interview.

That night, Coffey and Hester were the airborne mission commanders directing the fighters toward the drones and were also actively engaged in shooting down drones, resorting to bringing the drones down with their fighter's Gatling guns after they had used up all of their air-to-air missiles.

"It takes a high-performing team with high-performing individuals to be able to find these things to begin with and then to engage it," Coffey said.

Among those receiving awards this week were many members of the squadrons' airmen on the ground who helped keep the fighters flying in and out, especially as some of the fighters experienced in-flight emergencies.

Hester's receipt of the Silver Star occurred the same week that Hegseth drew scrutiny for recent comments on a podcast in which he criticized the decision to allow women to serve in ground combat units.

"I'm straight up just saying, we should not have women in combat roles," Hegseth said last week on the "The Shawn Ryan Show."

The process of integrating women into combat units was a gradual one that began in 1993, when Defense Secretary Les Aspin issued an order that allowed women to fly fighter jets and bomber aircraft in combat.

But women were not allowed to serve in ground combat units until 2013, when Defense Secretary Leon Panetta rescinded the ban, which was subsequently enhanced in 2015 by Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who cleared the path for women to serve in jobs that were still limited to men, including some in special operations.

On the podcast, Hegseth drew a distinction between women serving as pilots and those serving in ground combat units.

"I'm not talking about pilots," Hegseth said. "I'm talking about physical labor type, labor intensive type job. … I'm talking about something where strength is a differentiator. Pilots? Give me a female pilot all day long. I got no issues with that."

Woman arrested for impersonating nurses at several LA hospitals

(BURBANK, Calif.) -- A woman is facing felony charges after she allegedly was hired as a nurse at several California hospitals using "a variety of false identities" despite not having a nursing license, according to the Burbank Police Department.

Amanda Leeann Porter, 44, allegedly impersonated a registered nurse at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. She allegedly applied for and obtained a nursing job at the medical center and was overseeing about 60 patients from April 8 to May 8, according to police.

Hospital staff then soon discovered she was impersonating a real registered nurse who lived out of state, according to police.

By the time she was terminated from the hospital, she had received two paychecks, police said.

She does not hold a nursing license and is on federal probation for a fraud violation committed in Virginia, police said.

During their investigation, police discovered she had previously obtained employment with various local hospitals using a variety of false identities, police said.

Porter was arrested on Nov. 7 after she bonded out of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s custody for a similar act committed at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Santa Clarita, police said.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Porter with felony identity theft, felony false impersonation and felony grand theft.

She was arraigned on Wednesday and is currently being held without bail at the Los Angeles County Central Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, police said.

Police believe she may have committed similar offenses in the Southern California area over the past year and are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Jacksonville man gets life in prison for sexual abuse

JACKSONVILLE – James Warnell Phillips of Jacksonville has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty on Wednesday to two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child. According to our news partner KETK and the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office, charges against Phillips were brought after it was determined he had continuously sexually abused minors for 11 years. The case against him was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Richey and Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth.

Robert Roberson’s execution can resume, Texas Supreme Court declares

(AUSTIN, Texas) -- The execution of Robert Roberson -- whose "shaken baby syndrome" murder conviction in the death of his 2-year-old daughter has come under scrutiny -- can resume, according to a Texas Supreme Court decision Friday.

Roberson was set to become the first person in the U.S. executed for a shaken baby syndrome diagnosis murder conviction on Oct. 17 before the court intervened and a state House committee issued a subpoena for Roberson, halting the execution amid legal battles over his fate.

Roberson's execution warrant was only valid through Oct. 17.

Roberson was found guilty of the 2002 murder of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki, in part based on the testimony of a pediatrician who described swelling and hemorrhages in her brain to support a shaken baby syndrome diagnosis.

However, Roberson's legal team argued that newer evidence found that Nikki had pneumonia and had been prescribed respiratory-suppressing drugs by doctors in the days leading up to her death, leading to a case of severe viral and bacterial pneumonia that progressed to sepsis and then septic shock.

Roberson has long proclaimed his innocence. His fight for clemency has been backed by several state lawmakers, medical and scientific experts, and criminal justice advocates who have questioned the legitimacy of the use of the shaken baby syndrome diagnosis in his case, based on newer scientific evidence.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other state officials have argued that "Roberson was lawfully sentenced to death" and that he has "exhausted every legally available appellate avenue."

Paxton also argued that the jury did not convict Roberson solely based on shaken baby syndrome, though Roberson's attorneys said that "shaken baby" was referred to by prosecutors and witnesses throughout the jury trial.

Ohio transgender bathroom ban heads to governor’s desk

(COLUMBUS, OH) -- A transgender bathroom ban has been sent to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's desk after passing through the state legislature.

The bill would require students in the state's K-12 schools, as well as colleges and universities, to use the restroom or facility that aligns with their gender assigned at birth. The bill notes that it is not intended to prevent schools from building single-occupancy facilities and does not ban someone of the opposite gender from entering to help another person.

The Republican-backed bill passed 60-31 in the House and passed on party lines in the Senate, 24-7.

Supporters say their concerns lie in student's privacy and protection.

"It protects our children and grandchildren in private spaces where they are most vulnerable. It is us using our legislative authority to ensure schools are, in fact, safe environments. After all, bathrooms, showers, changing rooms should all be safe places for our students," said Republican state Sen. Jerry C. Cirino ahead of the bill's passage.

Critics of the bill say that the bill is creating unfounded concerns about transgender students and may instead put trans students in danger of discrimination or violence.

"I am in disbelief that this is a top priority on our first session back from recess," said Senate Democratic Leader Nickie J. Antonio in an online statement "There are so many other issues we should be working on. There should be no exception to liberty and justice for all, yet here we are telling our children that there are people who are less than. This bill is not about bathrooms. It's about demonizing those who are different, and our children are watching and listening to the fearmongering."

Several medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, have opposed policies preventing transgender individuals from accessing restrooms consistent with their gender identity.

DeWine, a Republican, has gone against state Republican legislators on transgender issues before. He vetoed a transgender youth care ban bill, which would have restricted gender-affirming puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or surgeries.

"These are gut-wrenching decisions that should be made by the parents and should be informed by teams of doctors who are advising them," said DeWine, adding that he did not find any families or hospitals who were seeking or allowing surgeries for youth. "These are parents who have watched the child suffer sometimes for years and have real concerns that their child may not survive."

DeWine's office declined ABC News' request for comment on the bill. He told reporters this past summer that he has to look at "specific language" in the legislation.

"I'm for people, kids, to be able to go to the bathroom with the gender assignment so that they have that protection, but I'll have to look at the specific language," DeWine told reporters .

John C. Reilly hopes “An Almost Christmas Story” short film will ‘spread a little love and a little empathy’

The new Disney+ short film An Almost Christmas Story is inspired by the true story of an owl who was found inside the Rockefeller Christmas tree in New York City. In this version, the owl can talk, and his adventure is narrated by John C. Reilly.

In taking on the role, Reilly, who also performs four songs in the short, tells ABC Audio he was inspired by the late Burl Ives' Snowman narrator character in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

"I thought, 'I've learned so much music from Burl Ives, wouldn't it be cool to, like, step into his shoes?'" says Reilly, who also stars in a stage production called Mister Romantic. "Or at least perform a role that was similar to what he's done in the past."

An Almost Christmas Story also hearkens back to the look of those classic holiday specials in its animation style, though it was made digitally instead of with traditional stop-motion. Still, Reilly wanted to get a stop-motion figure of his character made, even though he laughs he was "hoping it would look less like me."

"I was like, 'But will you please still make mine?'" Reilly says. "Then [director] David Lowery's like, 'Yeah! Totally, we should still make yours!' So I'm gonna have to ask Disney where that thing is."

As for the film itself, you can expect a heartwarming tale and some adorable animals, which Reilly feels might bring some comfort amid stressful times, personal or otherwise.

"Somehow I think [the film] really does meet the moment for the way people are feeling right now in the world," Reilly says. "So I'm happy to spread a little love and a little empathy with this."

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Longview woman accused in Peanut the Squirrel death

LONGVIEW — Our news partner, KETK, reports that an East Texas woman has become the target of social media users who blame her for Peanut the squirrel’s death. The mother of two is now sharing her side of the story in an attempt to clear her name.

Mark Longo, the man who rescued Peanut, posted that a raid had been conducted at his home by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation, who took Peanut and Fred the raccoon. The raid was conducted after the DEC received “multiple reports from the public about the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pet.”

Later, the DEC and Chemung County Department of Health confirmed that Peanut and Fred had been euthanized after biting one of the investigators issuing a need to conduct a rabies test, that would later come back as negative.Longo took out his frustrations online and posted: “Well internet, you WON,” Longo posted. “You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness. To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you.” Continue reading Longview woman accused in Peanut the Squirrel death