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Articles by Bob Ortega
What we know about Wess Roley, the 20-year-old suspect in the Idaho fire shooter | CNN Original
Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies block a road leading to an area where multiple firefighters were attacked. Young Kwak/Reuters See all topics Email Link Copied! Coeur d'Alene, Idaho — The suspect who police believe gunned down two firefighters Sunday after starting a brush fire in Idaho wanted to pursue a career as a firefighter himself, his grandfather told CNN.
Not just Reagan: Airports across the US have struggled with air traffic control staffing in recent years, data shows
When an American Airlines flight fatally collided with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport Wednesday night, the airport’s tower wasn’t fully staffed, with one traffic controller handling the jobs of two people. But the situation was hardly an anomaly. Airports around the country have struggled with controller staffing levels for years, according to a CNN review of government data and interviews with aviation experts.
Not just Reagan: Airports across the US have struggled with air traffic control staffing in recent years, data shows
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‘Fully staffed’: Election offices relieved after feared poll-worker shortages don’t materialize
By Marshall Cohen, Curt Devine and Bob Ortega, CNN (CNN) — Threats and smears against election officials and the voting process haven’t killed Americans’ confidence in the system and willingness to work the polls this year.
As threats grow, funds for election security see a squeeze
By Bob Ortega and Anna-Maja Rappard, CNN Phoenix (CNN) — When the ballot counting begins inside Arizona’s Maricopa County Tabulation Center this November, election workers will be protected behind doors and windows with bullet-proof glass and two layers of fencing. Security cameras will be monitored for suspicious activity inside and outside the building. A fleet of police drones and rooftop snipers will be at the ready.
Eyewitnesses describe scene at Trump rally shooting: ‘Pure insanity’
BUTLER, Pennsylvania (CNN) — Eyewitnesses who spoke to CNN on Saturday described an awful scene following a shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which one person was killed and two others injured in what’s being investigated as a possible assassination attempt. A man who spoke before Trump at Saturday’s rally told CNN that he jumped over a barricade to comfort an individual who was bleeding after being shot.
What Trump's war on the 'Deep State' could mean
At one campaign rally after another, former President Donald Trump whips his supporters into raucous cheers with a promise of what's to come if he's given another term in office: "We will demolish the deep state."In essence, it's a declaration of war on the federal government—a vow to transform its size and scope and make it more beholden to Trump's whims and worldview.Related video above: Fact check after Trump speaks to the media before hush money trial The former president's statements,...
Emails show how a right-wing group steers GOP leaders on major policy issues
By Bob Ortega and Daniel Medina, CNN (CNN) — When Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft jumped in the state’s gubernatorial race last year, the Republican vowed to tackle a slew of culture war issues, promising to fight the “woke politics” of “left-wing” banks and touting how he used his position to enact a regulation targeting those financial firms.
Trump-backed GOP pick for Michigan AG has been a vocal supporter of election lies. Emails show just how far he's gone for the cause
Months after Joe Biden's 2020 victory over Donald Trump in Michigan had been certified, and confirmed by audits and voting reviews, a clerk in rural Barry County received an unusual and confusing request from Matthew DePerno, an attorney in Kalamazoo.
Michigan GOP leaders encourage rule breaking at poll worker training session
By Bob Ortega, Audrey Ash, Yahya Abou-Ghazala and Drew Griffin, CNN — The evening before Michigan's state primary, Wayne County GOP leaders held a Zoom training session for poll workers and partisan observers -- warning them about "bad stuff happening" during the election and encouraging them to ignore local election rules barring cell phones and pens from polling places and vote-counting centers.
'You don't leave your friends in a fight': Why this US businessman is staying in Kyiv – KION546
By Bob Ortega, CNN One recent evening, American businessman Brent Reynolds was chatting by phone from his fourth-floor apartment on Pushkinskaya Street in downtown Kyiv, when a sudden blast interrupted the conversation. “Just a minute — let me look,” he told me, as he stepped out onto the balcony. “We just had an explosion. It sounded like it was within a kilometer or so, I think; but it’s hard to tell, in a city.
His cybersecurity firm is working on the Arizona 'audit'. But people who know him have questions
By Bob Ortega, Kyung Lah, Stephanie Becker and Anna-Maja Rappard, CNN In recent weeks, GOP lawmakers from at least 16 states have flocked to Phoenix for a first-hand look at a controversial, partisan “audit” of the 2020 vote in Arizona’s largest county. The visits look to be a harbinger for similar exercises yet-to-come in those other states — and a potential revenue stream for, among others, the Arizona effort’s main contractor: Cyber Ninjas.
Calls grow online for violence ahead of Inauguration Day
By Rob Kuznia, Curt Devine, Scott Bronstein and Bob Ortega | CNN “Trump or war. Today. That simple.” “If you don’t know how to shoot: You need to learn.
Insurrection fueled by conspiracy groups, extremists and fringe movements
(CNN) -- The mob of Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday included conspiracy theorists linked to QAnon and the Proud Boys -- two right-wing extremist factions that President Donald Trump repeatedly refused to condemn during his election campaign last year. CNN has highlighted Nick Ochs in a crowd of protesters storming the Capitol building during a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021.
Courts across the country hand Trump, allies more losses as attempts to upend election results collapse
(CNN) — The Trump campaign and its allies were dealt additional blows in Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin and Arizona on Friday as courts rejected their attempts to challenge the presidential election results. The quartet of decisions are the latest losses in court for President Donald Trump’s campaign and his backers as they try to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s election win last month.
Arizona certifies Biden's victory - WISH-TV
(CNN) — Arizona certified its election results on Monday, awarding the state’s 11 electoral votes to President-elect Joe Biden and clearing the way for Senator-elect Mark Kelly, a Democrat, to be sworn in this week. Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, certified the election results Monday morning, saying the elections process was the most secure in recent history, “despite unfounded claims to the contrary.” The state’s Gov.
'Trump can still win': President's supporters remain defiant after Biden's victory - WISH-TV
(CNN) — When CNN and other news outlets projected on Saturday that Joe Biden had won the presidency, the streets of Democratic strongholds like New York, Washington and Chicago erupted in celebrations that lasted into the night. But among President Donald Trump’s supporters, reactions varied from anger and defiance to disappointment and resignation.
Trump's false claims on mail-in voting do more to harm elections than threat of fraud, experts say
News By Bob Ortega and Scott Bronstein, CNN President Donald Trump has been claiming that the upcoming election will see "the greatest scam in the history of politics." Thursday, September 3rd 2020, 2:01 PM HST By Bob Ortega and Scott Bronstein, CNN President Donald Trump has been claiming that the upcoming election will see "the greatest scam in the history of politics." And, in a way, he could be right.
Judges keep Kanye West off Arizona and Virginia ballots
(CNN) -- Judges in Virginia and Arizona on Thursday ordered state election officials to keep Kanye West's name off the states' general election ballots in November, dealing a fresh blow to the rapper's unorthodox presidential bid.
Judges keep Kanye West off Arizona and Virginia ballots
Judges in Virginia and Arizona on Thursday ordered state election officials to keep Kanye West's name off the states' general election ballots in November, dealing a fresh blow to the rapper's unorthodox presidential bid. Arizona state Judge Scott McCoy ruled that the plaintiffs in an Arizona lawsuit filed Monday were likely to succeed on the merits in arguing that state law barred West from appearing on the ballot as an independent candidate for president because he's a registered Republican.
Postal service to remove hundreds of sorting machines
By Curt Devine, Bob Ortega and Paul P. Murphy | CNN The US Postal Service plans to remove hundreds of high-volume mail-processing machines from facilities across the country, leading some postal workers to fear they may have less capacity to process mail during election season. Documents obtained by CNN indicate 671 machines used to organize letters or other pieces of mail are slated for “reduction” in dozens of cities this year.
He's considered an 'essential' worker. What he feels, though, is underpaid and at risk.
News By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates As a farmworker, Salvador Calzadillas has been deemed "essential" during the Covid-19 pandemic. What he feels, though, is underpaid and at risk. Friday, June 26th 2020, 8:20 AM EDT By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates As a farmworker, Salvador Calzadillas has been deemed "essential" during the Covid-19 pandemic. What he feels, though, is underpaid and at risk.
How the US government delayed coronavirus testing
(CNN) — A weeks-long testing delay that effectively blinded public health officials to the spread of the coronavirus in the US might have been avoided had federal agencies fully enacted their own plan to ramp up testing during a national health crisis.
Health care workers on frontlines feel like ‘lambs to slaughterhouse’
Local News Sign up for our Newsletters Latest News A member of the Brooklyn Hospital Center COVID-19 testing team looks out of the tent, Thursday, March 26, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press.
ICE reopening long-closed deportation cases against Dreamers
By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates (CNN) -- The letter this fall from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement turned Zoila Pelayo's life on end. Stunned, she read that the agency was filing to reopen a deportation case against her that had been closed nearly eight years ago. Pelayo, 33, lives with her husband and two young children in Tucson, Arizona. Her parents brought her there from Mexico without documentation when she was 6.
ICE reopening long-closed deportation cases against Dreamers
The letter this fall from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement turned Zoila Pelayo's life on end. Stunned, she read that the agency was filing to reopen a deportation case against her that had been closed nearly eight years ago. Pelayo, 33, lives with her husband and two young children in Tucson, Arizona. Her parents brought her there from Mexico without documentation when she was 6.
ICE reopening long-closed deportation cases against Dreamers
News By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates The letter this fall from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement turned Zoila Pelayo's life on end. Stunned, she read that the agency was filing to reopen a deportation case against her... Saturday, December 21st 2019, 6:11 AM EST By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates The letter this fall from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement turned Zoila Pelayo's life on end.
ICE Reopening Long-Closed Deportation Cases Against Dreamers
Ortega writes: "The letter this fall from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement turned Zoila Pelayo's life on end. Stunned, she read that the agency was filing to reopen a deportation case against her that had been closed nearly eight years ago." Activists rallying to defend DACA in Washington, D.C. (photo: Andrew Stefan/RSN) By Bob Ortega, CNN 21 December 19 he letter this fall from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement turned Zoila Pelayo's life on end.
Trump administration increasing efforts to take land to build wall
Three years after chants of "build that wall" became a rallying cry for the candidacy of Donald Trump, his administration is engaged in an increasingly aggressive land grab along the Southwest border to make a new wall a reality, a CNN review of federal court filings shows. Through Nov. 15, the Trump administration had filed 29 eminent domain suits tied to border-wall construction this year, up from 11 each of the past two years, according to federal court records.
The Trump administration is dialing up efforts to 'build that wall,' records show
Three years after chants of "build that wall" became a rallying cry for the candidacy of Donald Trump, his administration is engaged in an increasingly aggressive land grab along the Southwest border to make a new wall a reality, a CNN review of federal court filings shows. Through November 15, the Trump administration had filed 29 eminent domain suits tied to border-wall construction this year, up from 11 each of the past two years, according to federal court records.
The Trump administration is dialing up efforts to 'build that wall,' records show
News By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates Three years after chants of "build that wall" became a rallying cry for the candidacy of Donald Trump, his administration is engaged in an increasingly aggressive land grab along the...
Volunteers travel to help asylum seekers
Copyright 2019 CNN A family of Mexican asylum seekers, newly released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, are greeted by workers at a welcome center in Phoenix operated by the International Rescue Committee and local partners. Copyright 2019 CNN A family of Mexican asylum seekers, newly released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, are greeted by workers at a welcome center in Phoenix operated by the International Rescue Committee and local partners.
Volunteers travel to help asylum seekers
Copyright 2019 CNN A family of Mexican asylum seekers, newly released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, are greeted by workers at a welcome center in Phoenix operated by the International Rescue Committee and local partners. Copyright 2019 CNN A family of Mexican asylum seekers, newly released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, are greeted by workers at a welcome center in Phoenix operated by the International Rescue Committee and local partners.
With asylum seekers blocked from reaching safe haven in US, volunteers take help south to them
News By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates Outside a former elementary school, a hurricane fence swings open and an unmarked white Immigration and Customs Enforcement van pulls up. Moments later, two Mexican families gingerly step... Tuesday, October 22nd 2019, 6:10 AM EDT By Bob Ortega, CNN Investigates Outside a former elementary school, a hurricane fence swings open and an unmarked white Immigration and Customs Enforcement van pulls up.
Prosecutors to retry volunteer worker who aided migrants
Immigrant asylum seekers wait at a bus station after being released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ), on Nov. 1, 2018, in McAllen, Texas. Immigrant asylum seekers wait at a bus station after being released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ), on Nov. 1, 2018, in McAllen, Texas.
Prosecutors to retry volunteer worker who aided migrants
Federal prosecutors in Tucson, Arizona, said in court Tuesday that they were dropping a charge of conspiracy to transport "illegal aliens" against humanitarian aid worker Scott Warren, but will seek to retry him on two charges of "harboring illegal aliens." Warren's first trial on those three charges ended in a mistrial June 11, after jurors told US District Court Judge Raner Collins they couldn't reach a verdict. Eight of the 12 jurors had favored acquitting Warren of all charges.
Prosecutors to retry volunteer worker who aided migrants
Federal prosecutors in Tucson, Arizona, said in court Tuesday that they were dropping a charge of conspiracy to transport "illegal aliens" against humanitarian aid worker Scott Warren, but will seek to retry him on two charges of "harboring illegal aliens." Warren's first trial on those three charges ended in a mistrial June 11, after jurors told US District Court Judge Raner Collins they couldn't reach a verdict. Eight of the 12 jurors had favored acquitting Warren of all charges.
Doctor says Border Patrol often misses early signs of illness in migrant children
Mario Tama/Getty Images Protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Border Patrol facility where lawyers reported that detained migrant children were held unbathed and hungry on June 27, 2019, in Clint, Texas. Mario Tama/Getty Images Protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Border Patrol facility where lawyers reported that detained migrant children were held unbathed and hungry on June 27, 2019, in Clint, Texas.
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